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hausbabylon · 5 months

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bigger than the whole sky

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Word count: 5,438

Warnings: Angst, unspecified legal age gap. This is pretty much about Natasha being mourned over and remembered as she deserves. What better day to post than on her birthday?

On December 3rd, you recalled all the wonderful memories you had created with your partner.

June 18th, 2019

Half of humanity was gone.

Each day, you woke up to a world where the sun shone as brightly as ever, permitting the shadow of loss to darken every corner of the souls of the survivors of the Thanos blip. The familiar warmth faded, replaced by only a deep melancholy at the memory of what everyday life used to be. In the blink of an eye, your loved ones vanished, leaving you with the agony of their absence.

You were lost and desolate. You longed deeply to experience just a glimpse of everything you once took for granted, like calling your mother after a long day, hearing the murmurs of people at the coffee shop, or receiving a funny video from your best friend. Just something...

But nothing.

Word of mouth, you heard about a support group that Steve Rogers was leading. The world had become so vast, that breathing the same air as Captain America, with the Black Widow at your side, was no longer an unthinkable madness that would happen only in the most delusional mind. It was a reality.

There you were, realizing that you also had something in common with heroes of international stature. When they weren't all over the news, fighting right-handed in their intimidating suits, they were simply human beings who also wanted to be heard from time to time. They too had a right to break down.

"I..." you looked up, once it was your turn to speak. All eyes were looking at you expectantly, and Natasha Romanoff's eyes on you made your task more difficult. "Well, the barista at the coffee shop I go to informed me about this, uhm.... I'm (Y/N)."

"Hi, (Y/N)," those present responded in unison. The raspy voice of the woman next to you somehow resonated more in your ears than any other. What a woman. Not for nothing had you become interested in the news, only to see her fight so bravely. You always considered her a beautiful woman, and above all, a powerful one.

The only three friends you had always teased you about your crush on the Black Widow. And this alone made you feel worse. They would have loved to see you all flushed and nervous like you were at that moment.

"I remember hating crowds. People rushing around at all hours, often pushing and shoving," you began, looking down at the ground as you fiddled with your hands. "I hated the voices. Sometimes it was so loud that, between them all, they sounded like a swarm of angry bees," some had the strength to only half-smile at your silly analogy, others were unfazed.

Natasha's resilience turned out to be greater than you imagined, she demonstrated it on multiple occasions, but you experienced it live and in full color when she specifically let out a distinguished laugh. It echoed throughout the room, you could hear it loud and clear.

"I know, it was annoying." you said softly, directing your first words specifically towards the redhead, who by the way had a bit of blonde on the ends of her hair, indicating that the dye was fading. It looked beautiful on her. "Anyway," you redirected your attention to the others again. "I know a lot of people here hated that noise. We'd put on headphones so we didn't have to listen to anyone," you continued, and earned a nod of agreement from everyone present. "Well, now, I put my headphones on and play audio of people talking. I never thought I'd miss this, or that I'd miss being constantly pushed around, the voice of an annoying customer I have to deal with at work. Besides, everything is slowing down, nobody lives in a hurry anymore, and... well, I think you understand," you let out a nervous chuckle. You had no intention of rambling on too much about it, or you were never going to stop.

"Thanks for sharing," Steve said, giving you a small smile, that smile where he pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows.

Once the meeting was over, you let out a small sigh, grabbed your stuff and headed for the exit.

A voice stopped you as you stood on the other side of the door, causing you to turn and meet again those green eyes that looked so much more beautiful in person. Neither magazine pictures nor news cameras could capture that wonderful pair.

"I just wanted to ask you, if it's not too invasive," she spoke, as soon as you turned around. "Do you have anyone to talk to? Outside of this group, I mean."

"Anyone close? No," you answered honestly. It was the truth. Being highly selective had its consequences, as you were unlucky enough to lose your very few close loved ones; your three best friends, your mother, your aunt and your grandfather. Some family members, previous friends and even exes with whom you cut ties tried to reconnect, but the phrase 'better alone than in bad company' never applied better than in this case. "But if you're talking in general terms, even the person in line at the supermarket can be your confidant and support. You can imagine what it's like."

"I know," she agreed, and thought for a moment before adding, "In supermarkets, products expire before anyone buys them, but it's a good thing, it's an excuse to buy more snacks so they don't go to waste."

You let out a laugh. A full, genuine laugh, and wow... it was the first time in the last year that someone had made you laugh like that. It was a silly joke, yes, but in the midst of so much monotony, the spontaneity was a gift she gave you.

December 3rd, 2023

"You were in fact the only person who made me laugh," you barely managed to formulate the last words before you burst into tears for the fifth time.

Natasha would be turning 39. You both knew that aging was anything but a bad thing, yet she enjoyed ironically saying that she was getting old, even if it was far from the truth. She had no childhood, no adolescence. The concept of old age seemed the most comforting to her.

You forced yourself to take a deep breath, and to swallow your tears. You were talking to a piece of marble with her name carved on it, and you knew that meters underneath there wasn't even a body to mourn over, but you had to let it all out one way or another.

"Happy 39th birthday, my love," you whispered, smiling faintly. "I guess your wish came true. You stayed 38 forever."

December 3rd, 2020

"Oh, my wish is to stay 36 forever!" Natasha exclaimed, with a broad smile, and then blew out the candles on the mini cake you had bought her.

You laughed along with her.

Laughing seemed impossible until she showed up a year and a half ago in your life at that support group. Now laughing seemed as easy as breathing.

You wondered if, somehow, you would have met Natasha. She was a very famous woman, unattainable to everyone including you. The possibility of having lived a life without her terrified you, so much so that it was the first time you were actually grateful that the blip had happened, because it made it possible for her to be sitting on the couch next to you, spending her birthday morning with you after making her her favorite breakfast.

"Oh, come on, Nat," you laughed, as you placed the cake on the coffee table, and started pouring the wine. "You age like this fine wine. I imagine how divine you'll look in your 40s, in your 50s... don't take that away from me," you spoke seriously, as if the candles really did have the power to fulfill her wishes.

She laughed loudly, and took the glass of wine you gave her, "38 is the most I'm willing to age. It is my final offer."

You rolled your eyes playfully, and raised your glass, "Very well. To your penultimate year of aging. Cheers!"

The rest of the morning, and part of the afternoon was spent lazying on the couch, marathoning romantic comedies from the 90s and early 2000s.

Until the clock struck 5:00 p.m., it was one hour before Natasha's adoptive parents arrived, and the nervousness was starting to hit you.

"My love, it's time to get off the couch and get ready," you spoke, pausing the Julia Roberts movie 'Eat, Pray, Love'.

"Ughhhh!" She protested, covering herself up to her head with the blanket resting on top of you both. Said blanket was perhaps twice the size of the two of you, and perhaps three times as heavy. It was the best weapon against the December cold.

"Nat, I don't want your parents to find us in penguin pajamas and ugly sweaters," you laughed, shaking her gently. "I want to make a good first impression. Come on!"

"You're overthinking," she replied, resting her head in your lap, under the blanket. "They won't mind your outfit, and believe me, they'll love you."

You sighed lightly.

"I hope so," you replied, scratching her hair with your fingertips. "I'm much younger than you, and I don't want them to think I'm immature, or..."

"Alexei still insists on wearing his superhero costume, even though it looks tiny on him," Natasha interrupted you, before your head wandered. "Maturity is something that doesn't exist in my family, you take it easy."

You laughed a little, and that little anecdote was enough to give you significant relief. If Natasha said you'd be fine, then it was true.

The redhead was somewhat reserved when it came to her family.

You understood that she wanted to be sure that it was going to be something long and meaningful before she let you into that sacred side of her life, so it wasn't a year and a half after you met her that you finally would get to know the famous Melina and Alexei. You felt more than privileged to know that your relationship with her had already reached that point.

She also always mentioned her little sister Yelena, whom she had lost to the blip. You wished you could have met that other brave soul who destroyed Dreykov and his entire twisted organization, saving thousands of girls and women around the world.

"Well..." she said, suddenly getting up from your lap, as she pulled back the blanket. Afterwards, she planted a quick kiss on your lips. "I need a few minutes to mentally prepare myself and get out of here. Get in the shower and then I'll join you."

Within forty-five minutes, both of you were fully dressed and ready to welcome Melina and Alexei to Natasha's apartment.

The table was set with a white tablecloth, four plates with their respective cutlery and glasses. In the middle was the previously started wine and a bottle of soda that was a little wet, as it had just been taken out of the fridge five minutes before. The older woman's parents would bring takeout dinner and cake, so the table was ready just to serve the food and eat.

Punctually, at 6:00 p.m., you heard the doorbell ring.

You took a deep breath, and together with Natasha, you headed for the door.

Naturally, she was the first to greet them and pull them into a heartwarming embrace, which was somewhat clumsy because it was obstaclized by the bags of food in Melina's hands and the box of cake in Alexei's right arm. You stood there, watching the scene feeling both tenderness and nervousness, because your girlfriend's parents were finally standing in front of you.

The redhead took the cake and a bag of food, and with her head pointed in your direction, "This is (Y/N), (Y/N), this is Melina and Alexei."

With a gentle smile, you waved at them, "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Vostokoff, and Mister Shostakov."

"Oh, let's drop the formalities, c'mere!" Alexei exclaimed, and held out his arms to wrap you in a tight embrace.

You let out a giggle, and accepted his offer. He squeezed you and you let out a playful groan of complaint. Melina, laughing as you did, hugged you once the man released you, however, she was gentler and briefer, concluding it with a rub on your back.

"Please call us by our names," she spoke. "Natasha has talked so much about you that you're not even a stranger. So we don't want to be strangers to you either."

You looked at Natasha, and she smiled broadly, having also enjoyed the scene at your first meeting with her parents.

"Very well," you chuckled. "Please, let me help you with this," you offered, pointing to the single bag she was carrying.

"Oh, thank you," she agreed, passing you the bag.

You and Natasha placed the two bags on the table, and the cake on the kitchen counter.

"Beer?" Natasha offered to Alexei.

"Oh, please!" he exclaimed, sitting down on one of the chairs next to Melina. Across from both of them, Natasha and you would sit.

You heard the sound of two bottles being uncorked, and Natasha was the last to join the table, handing one bottle to Alexei and both of them toasting and then taking a big sip.

The dinner went wonderfully.

Natasha was right, her parents were easy-going and funny, each in their own way. Alexei always had a joke on the tip of his tongue, and Melina, though calmer than him, laughed lightly and added to the joke just to make you all laugh. At the end of the evening, when they bid their fond farewells, you completely forgot how nervous you felt a few hours earlier. They were enchanted with you and the feeling was mutual.

A small meow was heard about a minute after Natasha's parents left, and she stepped forward, opening the window to reveal the black cat sitting on the stairs. Liho always wandered around her building, but Natasha's floor was her favorite due to the redhead always giving her food and treats. She was a very easy cat to love, and it didn't take long for her to grow on Natasha, so she was unofficially adopted by her.

"Sorry, Liho," she said, caressing behind her ears. "You were late. There will be no food for the unpunctual."

"Hey, don't be mean," you teased, reaching up to stroke the cat's cheek. She happily bowed her head, receiving your affection.

"I'm kidding," she let out a giggle, and headed for the kitchen. From there, she pulled out one of the cans of cat tuna she always bought for the feline. Once she placed it in a plate on the floor, the cat ran in her direction and didn't hesitate to devour the dish, making you both laugh. "Oh, thank you so much for coming to visit me for my birthday, little one. You're adorable."

You walked in Natasha's direction, and wrapped your arms around her waist. One thing you loved about her was that, no matter by what kind of physical contact you manifested your love for her, the older woman always seemed to melt at your touch.

"Stay another night," she whispered, entwining your hands in hers and then kissing them.

It was the fifth night in a row she had said that to you. No problem, though, it wasn't the first time it had happened, so you prepared yourself beforehand and packed more clothes to stay with her as long as you both wanted.

"Yes, I have another change of clothes..." you replied. "I think at this point, I'll have more clothes here than at home."

She turned to meet your gaze, and glanced at your lips briefly to lean in and kiss you gently. You, likewise, melted at any action of your girlfriend, and the taste of her lips never failed to delight you immensely.

"Move in with me," she was quick to say, resting her forehead against yours. "Let's find a nice house, let's officially adopt Liho, hell, let's adopt a kid when we're ready. I want everything with you."

December 3rd, 2023

"Did you enjoy your time with Grandma Melina?" You asked the little girl walking beside you in the direction of the car.

"Very much! She taught me some fighting techniques, and then we tried them on Grandpa Alexei," she replied, and you laughed at her statement. "He went down like a sack of potatoes."

Alissa Grace Romanoff.

A girl you and Natasha adopted when she was four years old. Now, at six, you were increasingly amazed at how smart, strong and determined she was, showing an interest in being like her mother but also possessing an artistic sensitive side.

"Did you leave my drawing with mom?" She asked, once you placed her in the back seat of the car and buckled her in.

The little girl remembered Natasha fondly, and longed for her with all her heart. Fortunately, she was at an age where she was more likely to remember more, and you would keep her memory alive in her mind.

You and Natasha worked hard to give her the best memories, so that her childhood was something she looked back on with fondness and happiness, unlike your girlfriend, who couldn't do the same and always avoided to think in the slighest about the matter.

"Of course I did, I left her your drawing and the beautiful flowers you suggested," you confirmed, kissing her small forehead and then heading to the driver's seat.

You needed some time alone in the cemetery every time you visited your girlfriend, even more so on this day. On the one visit where you took your daughter, you broke down to such an extent that she ended up crying a lot more than she initially was.

Knowing that holding back wasn't the best way to go, you preferred to go alone and vent properly. It hadn't even been two months since October 16th, so there were still times when you cried to the point where you couldn't get up from the floor. And when you finally did, your eyes were so swollen that you had to go home and wash your face so that they would look better so as not to worry the little girl.

Melina and Alexei insisted that you visit Natasha first, and as always, they were more than happy to spend time with their granddaughter. Since you got up early, knowing that you would take your sweet time, you returned early as well, so that they would also have their space on this day to visit their beloved daughter.

The day passed quietly.

You bought some lunch, and both of you ate while watching 'Tangled' for the thousandth time, but this movie ended up being background noise, as your daughter continued to tell you about how Merlina did her combat technique demonstrations and Alexei was the 'brave volunteer' who would attack her, even if he wasn't volunteering or brave at all.

At 5 p.m., you sat next to Alissa at the coffee table in the living room, and opened her maths book. She had an assignment to complete a page of two-digit addition problems, and although it was due on Friday, she was always allowed to do it on Sunday afternoons.

You preferred her to do it as soon as possible so she could spent the whole weekend freely with no pending homework, but well, the habit of leaving it until last minute stuck with you because Natasha was a little bit of a softie.

October 30th, 2022

You heard the loud sound of falling metal, causing you to startle and wake up in alarm.

Natasha was not in your bed, and that increased your concern. Maybe it was a thief, a spy, an enemy of Natasha's who broke into the house...

But when you ran to see the source of the sound, you found Natasha in the kitchen, and Alissa sitting at the counter. They both looked in your direction, and smiled innocently.

"We didn't mean to wake you, detka," Natasha spoke, and you noticed the silver bowl in the dishwasher, the one that previously fell and woke you up, nearly giving you a heart attack.

"Oh, what's wrong?" You asked, your eyes half open. The clock on the microwave read one in the morning.

"I went to get a glass of water, and mom was reading in the living room," Alissa explained. "I couldn't sleep, and neither could she."

"So we made Halloween-themed cupcakes," Natasha concluded, pointing with her head towards the oven, whose dim light gave you a view of the cupcakes baking inside it.

You laughed at Natasha's solution, and were deeply touched as well. Any other parent would have made their kid a glass of milk, read a story, or accompanied their child until they fell back asleep, but your girlfriend decided to keep her awake and make Halloween cupcakes.

"I suppose you'll write a note saying that Alissa won't be going to school," you deduced, knowing the redhead very well.

She nodded.

Your daughter didn't even have to pretend to be sick to miss school, she just had to say she didn't want to go and Natasha would melt at her puppy eyes and let her stay home. As much as you hated to be the boring one, you had to set certain boundaries, however, your efficient communication with both of them always led to an agreement without making you look like the bad one. So, if Alissa went to school, on the way home you would stop for ice cream or go to the park.

But of course, this was an occasion where there was no choice but to agree to skip school, otherwise Alissa would be sleepy all day.

"All right, let's start working on the toppings, shall we?" You said with a wide smile.

December 3rd, 2023

"These crayons that Aunt Yelena gave me have very good pigmentation," Alissa commented, as she ran the brownish-red crayon over the white sheet of paper.

You laughed at the use of words. Somehow, she always managed to learn new words and use them appropriately. Little things you noticed and loved about your daughter.

"Oh, the 500 color box she brought from her last mission's trip? What are you drawing?" You asked, looking up from your book to pay attention to her. However, she was quick to cover her work with her arms.

"You can see when I'm done," she established.

Whenever she did the tedious math homework, Alissa redirected her attention to her drawings. She always knew that after working hard, she deserved to do something she enjoyed afterwards. No one told her, she just knew it was the right thing to do, and you were going to fight to death with anyone who dared make her believe otherwise.

Yelena could be considered the world-traveling aunt, except for the fact that it wasn't for fun and more for the purposes of freeing brainwashed Black Widows.

And when she was in town, your daughter would always come back with her sugar at 110% because her Aunt Yelena spoiled her with exaggerated doses of sweets, after taking her to the amusement park or the movies. You had difficulty putting her to sleep, because it was 9 p.m. and Alissa kept running around the house even though you begged her in every possible way that it was time to go to sleep.

So, while she was at the coffee table drawing, you were on the couch with Liho lounging in the other single recliner, taking her fifth nap of the day. The little black cat was no exception when it came to missing Natasha, constantly climbing on the bed on the side that used to be where she slept, meowing as if she was wondering where that nice redhead she used to visit in her apartment had gone.

Cats were transcendental beings, and you wondered if during her naps, she really did have astral travels where she could meet your girlfriend without worrying about the planes of existence that she could easily visit with zero effort.

You had your legs covered by the same blanket that once also kept your girlfriend warm on these cold days, and how she used to sneak under it to lie on your lap or to tease you by placing her cold hands under your shirt.

"I'm done," Alissa said after a few minutes. "It's mom."

You took the drawing delicately, as if it were a work that required the touch of cautious hands only, almost as if a very abrupt movement would fade the work captured on paper.

You watched carefully.

It was Natasha, but she did not have her reddish hair with blonde ends as your daughter had known her, but was from years ago, and you wondered if the girl had come across more pictures besides the ones hanging on the wall.

"Ah, here she has long curly hair. You portrayed her beautifully, honey," you complimented her, a nostalgic smile plastered on your face. "There was a time when her hair was like that, actually."

"I know," she admitted. "Mom told me she was just working for S.H.I.E.L.D back then and that's how she met Iron Man, pretending to be Natalie Rushman, a new assistant. That was the start of this whole Avengers adventure."

"Oh, yes..." you let out a chuckle. "Who told you that? Aunt Yelena?"

"No, mom told me."

"Ah, mom told you... when?"

"Last night, last night I dreamed about her," Alissa replied, so casually that it seemed to surprise her no longer. At first, she woke up crying, saying she hated the reality, and wished it wasn't a dream. However, over the days she began to relate it as if it were a regular occurrence. "We were in my room, and she saw my drawing wall. She asked me to draw her this way too, because she misses her long hair," she added. "Oh, and she also told me that birthday candles actually grant wishes. Because she once wished she was 36 forever, but she negotiated with you and it ended up being 38."

You tensed your jaw, and you mewed all the way in while making a superhuman effort not to burst into tears right there.

You had these recurring dreams of Natasha, mostly where she would tell you how proud she was of how you kept going for yourself and your daughter every day. In another, which was the day you met Yelena, the same night, you dreamed she asked you about how you liked her. In all the dreams she told you that she loved you and Alissa, and that sooner or later, she would find a way to get back to you.

"I'll find a way back," she said. "In the meantime, remember that love transcends time and space. We love each other, that's all we need to stay together more than ever."

Your daughter had similar dreams, with the difference being that many of them were just about the two of them spending time together like they used to.

You knew that Natasha healed her inner child through activities with Alissa. She might have looked mature and tough on the outside, but on the inside, she loved spending time with her little girl and at the same time giving the little Natasha living inside her all those experiences she was deprived of.

You thought you were going crazy and delusional, and that these dreams were just your subconscious going to great lengths to offer comfort and protect you and Alissa from pain.

But, it was not possible for Alissa to know that, as it happened long before she was adopted. That little anecdote you never mentioned it to a single soul, and neither did Natasha, otherwise it would have been brought up long before. Besides, your daughter wasn't a liar. And there was no way for her to know this.

There was just no way for her to know.

"You know, mom told me that, as long as we love her, she can transcend space and time, and be here, even if it's not on the physical plane like we are," you spoke finally, your voice failing to sound steady. Still, you didn't try harder. Natasha taught you in that support group when you first met her that even the strongest heroes had a right to break.

"Like she does when she visits me," Alissa concluded, smiling excitedly. "I know it's not my head or my imagination. I know it's her."

March 2nd, 2023

"I know it's you, mom!"

"No, who's your mom? I'm Rapunzel," Natasha said, in a high-pitched voice, far from her raspy tone.

She looked adorable in that blonde wig that came down to her heels, the purple dress and the makeup you did before your daughter arrived at the park where she would be having her very first surprise birthday party. Natasha insisted on dressing up instead of hiring an impersonator, because that way it would be more special and a nicer memory that her daughter would look back on in a few years.

"And I am, Flynn Ryder!" Steve came out from behind a tree, with his hair styled like said character, and a costume that also closely resembled, he even had that cross-body bag around his torso.

"That is you, Uncle Steve," she paused. "Oh, but I don't need a princess when my mom is a hero!" The little girl ran from her seat, and hugged Natasha's legs, who with a pout and teary eyes, lifted her off the floor and hugged her tightly.

That scene caused your eyes to glaze over as well, and as you looked around at everyone present, you realized you weren't the only one.

Steve, Clint, Melina, Alexei... everyone was touched. Everyone close to Natasha knew very well what it meant to her to have been given the opportunity to be a mother despite her past and unavailability to get pregnant, and watching the amazing job she was doing would warm up even the coldest heart.

"Hey! What about me?" Steve exclaimed, feigning offense at Alissa's exclusion.

"You too!" The little girl extended her arm in his direction, inviting him to join in the embrace.

Natasha then extended her free arm in your direction, and you didn't know how or at what point, but suddenly everyone present was enveloped in a group hug. Even Alexei ended up joining despite his previous rivalry with Steve. It was something everyone definitely needed.

"Okay, darling, let's pretend you don't know it's us and let us perform the act we prepared," Natasha spoke, and the little girl laughed at the silly impression of Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder your girlfriend and Steve had prepared for this special ocassion.

December 3rd, 2023

"We will be here when you come back, my love," you whispered with your forehead leaning against Natasha's, after pulling stay from a passionate kiss.

"Don't worry yourself. Clint and I will go to another planet, collect one of the Infinity Stones and be back in literally a minute," was the last sentence Natasha directed towards you, very confident that those words would be the truth.

"Damn you, Natalia!" You exclaimed, throwing your phone towards the floor of your room, so hard that you wouldn't be surprised if it broke.

It wasn't the best idea to end this day looking at old pictures; of your first dates with Natasha, of when you moved in together with Liho, and of the day you adopted Alissa, among thousands of other memories frozen through photograph.

You were drowning in your own tears again like every night, after Alissa was already sound asleep in her room to hear you.

It was a routine where you fell asleep after draining it all away, so you would have the strength to face another day without her.

You missed her caresses, her kisses, hearing her laugh, her jokes and her raspy voice in the mornings.

All physical aspects that ultimately were a form in which her eternal essence manifested itself, but you knew now more than ever that you were only used to her physical form, but that her essence would live on until the end of time.

Until she would return to us again.

#natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x reader #black widow #black widow x reader #marvel #mcu #end game #natasha romanoff x you #scarlett johansson

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hausbabylon · 5 months

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flowers and pain

Vanessa Shelly x Reader

Word count: 5,996

A/N: A month passed since the premiere, and I have been head over heels in love with Vanessa Shelly ever since. The cliffhanger ending she had made me wanna cry, so let's fantasize and hope she is fine 🥹 I tried to make it as short as I could but got carried away.

Warnings: Just fluff, except for mentions of Vanessa's terrible childhood and William Afton's acts.

After everything that happened, Vanessa was still in a vulnerable situation where she needed to be taken care of.

Without meaning to, you often overheard the brother of the girl you babysited, saying that they were going to visit Vanessa in the hospital after school. You didn't want to pry. It was none of your business, and maybe it was a delicate situation to talk about.

However, all that curiosity was assuaged when, as you were cooking something simple for Abby after picking her up from school, you heard the front door open.

You ran to check, ready to punch whoever dared to break in, but let out a sigh of relief when you noticed it was Mike.

"Oh, Mike, did something come up?" You inquired, noting that it was 3:41 in the afternoon, and he was usually back by 7:30 at night.

Before your question could be answered, he opened the door wider, ushering a tall, blonde woman into the house. Just two seconds was enough for you to be mesmerized by such beauty; she had no makeup on and it suited her perfectly, each one of her eyes possessed a wonderful green iris, and her lips were pink and... gorgeous.

"Oh... hello, it's a pleasure..." You hesitated. Your cheeks were burning as you were determined to fix your eyes on anything around but her, and you hoped you could attribute your nervousness to your null ability to socialize, and not to the fact that you were wonderstruck before such a sight.

"Vanessa! You've been discharged!" Abby's excited, boisterous voice interrupted you, and she ran to her to hug her tightly.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Mike gently called her out. "She's still in a delicate condition."

The blonde girl didn't seem to mind the fact that Abby had thrown herself into her arms, and with a smile, she hugged her tightly.

Awkwardly, you watched the scene, not knowing what to do.

You didn't want to interrupt this beautiful moment they were having, as you knew it was something big. During all the time you took care of Abby, there wasn't a day where you didn't hear the mention of Vanessa, and when she would wake up from the coma, and then, when would she be discharged from the hospital.

But you also wanted to introduce yourself so you wouldn't embarrass yourself by standing there with a smile on your face that indicated you didn't know what to do.

So, you finally opted for the first option. You waited for the right moment to come for you to kindly greet the famous Vanessa appropriately.

Vanessa lifted her gaze and directed it towards you. That's it. You had her attention. You had to act wisely to make these seconds worth it.

"Hi, I'm Vanessa," she introduced herself, walking towards you, extending her hand in a polite manner. "You're the new babysitter, I assume," you were very surprised by her formality, and while you didn't expect her to greet you with a warm hug, the lack of casualness reminded you that you were a stranger, and perhaps this was how she behaved with strangers.

"I'm (Y/N)," you introduced yourself, respecting that boundary she imposed. You took her hand and shook it firmly.

She smiled kindly, "Nice to meet you, (Y/N)," she replied.

From that day on, every morning, you had a little alone time with Vanessa, as Mike went to work and Abby went to school. She would wake up around nine in the morning, and there was nothing you looked forward to more than seeing her sleepy face, her hair slightly disheveled, and her raspy voice saying good morning to you.

You would gladly prepare breakfast for both of you, and let her help you with, say, flipping pancakes or pouring drinks.

On the first day, her hand shook, which made her growl in frustration, and she apologized multiple times for making a mess, almost on the verge of tears. Still, you comforted her, insisting that she did a good job, and you showed her how it wasn't a big deal, for you didn't even take five minutes to clean up.

The next day, she refused to help you, afraid that the same thing would happen. You managed to convince her by telling her you would make sandwiches, which only involved spreading and placing. With a wrinkled nose and a broad smile, she proudly exclaimed that she completed her task.

And so, little by little, by asking for her help in the kitchen at breakfast or at lunch with Abby after school, she began to recover from the aftermath of waking up from her coma.

Although she barely spoke to you beyond jovial topics when you guys were alone together, somehow, your connection transcended words.

You could feel it when she would shyly sit next to you on the couch when you watched TV, or when she saw you reading, and she would pick up another book and sit down to read it next to you, and then look for the right moment to exchange opinions.

She felt more at ease when Abby was at home, and you were grateful that her affection for the little girl allowed you to get to know that side of her, that protective side that was also eager to have fun.

"You're cheating, Vanessa!" Abby exclaimed, and you let out a mock gasp of indignation at the younger girl's accusation.

"That's not true," Vanessa exclaimed, as she laughed.

"Of course it is. Don't think I didn't see how you held the tower so it wouldn't fall!" Abby responded.

"Oh, shame on you," you seconded, shaking your head, manifesting disappointment.

Vanessa had spent all this time at Mike's house, where she slept in his room, and he slept on the couch. You personally felt that she was perfectly capable of looking out for herself again and moving back on her own again, but you preferred not to mention anything about it. Perhaps there were emotional issues that caused her to not want to be alone, and this might remain a mystery to you.

Her progress was becoming more and more noticeable. These days, there was almost no problem anymore, and both you and Abby knew it, so it was only fair to reprimand her if she cheated.

"Oh, come on, I think we should change the rules," she laughed, this time admitting that she did, indeed, cheat. "Be that as it may, the point is to get a block out and keep the tower from falling, so what do you say?" She continued and looked at both of you with hopeful eyes.

You couldn't help it, you always succumbed to those beautiful eyes. Vanessa just looking at you in any way, shape or form was enough to make you succumb to her charms.

"Of course! Why not?" you said with a smile that showed how mesmerized you were by her.

"Hey, no!" Abby countered. "The rules are to remove a block with one hand. If it falls, we start over."

"Well, but where's the fun in following the rules?" You argued and earned an accusatory look from the blonde. "I mean, I mean! Only in board games!" You corrected yourself, knowing full well that those were not very wise words to say in front of a former police officer. That was the only thing she revealed to you that she used to be a police officer who mostly worked during the evenings.

Vanessa laughed at your nervousness, but she continued the main topic's purpose, "Yeah, come on, Abby, don't you want to see if this tower would ever become the tallest and most awesome tower in the world?"

Abby scoffed.

"Fine!" She agreed, and both you and Vanessa exchanged a victorious smile.

That day didn't seem to go beyond the ordinary. You played Jenga, and then Abby decided to go to her room to draw some pictures. Normally, when Abby left you both alone, you would engage in the aforementioned activities, like reading or watching a movie, and Vanessa would join you.

"Would you like to go out with me?"

You heard that question so suddenly, you paused the movie and looked at her with a puzzled look.

"Excuse me?" You said softly. You didn't want to overdo your reaction too much to cause insecurity or regret in her.

"No, no, I mean... not in that way... it's just that..." she hesitated, and you were a little disappointed to hear that it wasn't that way she meant it.

A fair amount of time had passed so that every thought you had consisted of every little characteristic that made up the woman next to you. After spending a whole day with her, the few hours you were in the solitude of your apartment, all you could think about was how much you longed for her presence, and how would her lips would feel as they crashed into yours as you shared a passionate, loving kiss.

Vanessa considered your silence as an invitation to continue, "Since I've been discharged, it's been a month and a week, and I haven't left here. With you, I haven't shared enough to get to know you well. I mean... it's not that I don't like spending those mornings with you... it's just that.... I'd like to go out... and take advantage of the outing for us to get to know each other... uh... yeah..." she explained shyly, looking down at her hands as she played with her fingers.

You laughed softly.

"Sure, where would you like to go?" You asked.

Yes, maybe it wasn't a date, but she was the one who had the initiative to go and propose an outing. That was more than enough for you to be assured that she really liked you, even if she didn't express it completely.

Uncertain about whether this outing would answer all the questions you had, you decided not to have expectations and appreciate the fact that she chose you for this activity. You learned to embrace the fragment of Vanessa bestowed upon you, and to also blindly embrace the mystery as a part of her being.

"You know this place, Freddy's Fazbear Pizza?"

You knew that place. And you knew why it had closed. Just seeing how neglected it looked on the outside, and the heartshattering story behind its shutdown gave you chills. You didn't understand what did it have to do with what you and the blonde were previously discussing.

"Ehh, I know it's been closed for almost a decade. Did they reopen it, or...?" You inquired.

"No, but I know a way in," she said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world for her to enter that scary place just for fun. "I need to go check it out, but don't worry, I know you'll like it."

Vanessa couldn't drive, and she seemed to be counting on you to take her there. Maybe she loved to visit these kinds of scary abandoned places, and you couldn't refuse to grant that wish, given the fact that she hasn't been out for five weeks, and wasn't even in the comfort of her home.

So, on Saturday, you arrived at the time you agreed upon. You were happy to spend time with Vanessa, but you were also anxious about what kind of activity awaited you. You weren't too excited about going at eight o'clock in the evening and then heading to a pizza place that has been abandoned for about two decades.

However, when you saw Vanessa, with that eager smile and her face lit up, any kind of doubt was dispelled. Not because it was something different, it was going to be a bad thing. Maybe you'd even end up agreeing with her, and you'd end up liking whatever idea she had.

First, you headed to a drive thru, and Vanessa insisted on paying for the food. You bought a large pizza with cheese edges, a two-liter soda, and some cheese sticks for appetizers.

She gave you directions to the place, and once you got there, you swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Not enough for her to notice. The last thing you wanted was for her to cancel the plans, plans she was too excited to carry out.

You entered through the main entrance, for which she had a key. The first thing you encountered was an archway that said "Welcome" at the top, and then you got a full view of what used to be the restaurant area.

There were some tables scattered throughout the room and others were stacked together. The room also had a stage, but a red curtain covered it. You knew that behind it, there were what used to be the main attraction; the animatronics.

The only thing you hoped for was that she would not...

"I'm going to turn up the voltage levers, you'll see how well they still work," Vanessa commented after noticing your gaze on the covered stage, leaving the pizza and soda on one of the tables.

"Uh, no, no, no... I don't think it's necessary...-"

"Come on, you'll love it!" she insisted, and you didn't have time to refute further when all the lights came on.

You covered your ears as you heard an eighties song playing at a defeaning volume. It was too loud for a place that had a lot of echo, and that was very empty. The whole vibe of the place felt... off.

Along with the lights coming on, the curtain opened, showing those animatronics moving to the beat of the music. These looked very disturbing, and you could swear that somehow, they were looking at you.

Or maybe it was the fact that your nerves were already on edge and it wasn't helped by the noise and those creppy things moving.

"Are you okay?" Vanessa asked, almost shouting for you to hear her over the music.

"Yeah, it's just kind of loud music," you replied, slowly removing your hands from your ears to adjust yourself to the noise.

Watching such an action, she took your hands and pulled you to her, "Come, let's dance," she proposed, and looked towards the stage, almost as if she was waiting for something to happen.

You asked her what was wrong, but she brushed it off.

"Do you know this song?" She asked, lifting your arm for you to do a spin, which you did with a chuckle.

"Yes, Talking In Your Sleep," you replied, looking up into her green eyes. "My dad usually plays eighties songs nonstop all the time."

"Oh, really?" She said with a small smile. "Do you have a good relationship with your father?"

"Mhm," you nodded. "Of course, in every kind of relationship there are arguments, but in general, my family and I relate very well."

Vanessa's eyes fluttered with a trace of melancholy. Even if it was brief, it was enough for you to catch the attention.

She proceeded to pull you closer, and instead of grabbing your arms, she held on to your waist tighter. Rather than making questions to engage with the subject, you chose to provide supportive silence.

She gently leaned to your height, and rested her chin on your head, displaying a hint of vulnerability. She actually drew you in a little closer, her embrace turning into a quiet cry for comfort.

The song stopped, and the animatronics returned to their positions from before. She let out a giggle and took your hand, leading you to the table where you had left your food and drink.

"Please," she used a fake elegant tone, as she pulled the chair for you to sit down.

"Oh, what a gentlewoman," you commented, sitting down in the chair, making her laugh.

Your eyes followed her as she took about two steps towards the chair in front of you, and subsequently, she let out a sigh to look into your eyes.

"You're really lucky, you know that?" She spoke, opening the pizza box and gesturing with her head for you to take the first slice.

"Hm?" You said, having already forgotten the previous conversation due to being too distracted appreciating her face, her eyes, her gestures.

"Having a good relationship with your family," she reminded you and took her slice once you took yours.

You were in awe. You loved how she wrinkled her nose to take the first bite, and her cheeks puffed out slightly as she chewed.

"You're right," you agreed. You weren't going to deny that too much could happen within the family environment, too many traumas that shifted through generations. You were lucky that your parents broke the chain long before they had you and really prepared emotionally for when you came along. "Not everyone is so lucky, and I wish that wasn't the case. I wish every child could have something like this because that's what they deserve," you continued. "No child deserves to be burdened with the unresolved problems of adults, and no child deserves to feel insecure in front of figures who should be protective."

Vanessa watched you with eyes of sadness, and you didn't know if it was because her way of thinking matched yours or because she herself had been through an unpleasant situation during her childhood... or both.

You heard a robotic sound, and noticed that the bear animatronic turned its head in your direction and blinked twice, with its eyebrows turned upwards.

You jumped slightly, and shivers invaded your body, "Oh, don't tell me they glitch and move on their own," you laughed nervously. Vanessa abandoned her previous expression to laugh softly with you.

"Yes, they move all the time," she confirmed. "Nothing to worry about. You're safe here. Believe me, I wouldn't bring you here if I knew you weren't."

It was kind of scary and unusual to walk into an abandoned pizza parlor, turn on the power and sit down to eat in the parlor of it, especially with those robots whose gaze you felt hovering over you for some reason.

However, you decided to believe her, it's not like those animatronics are possessed by spirits or anything. And in any case, you had to fear the living ones. But of course, you had a badass cop next to you. You were safe.

So you were determined to appreciate the beauty that this moment offered. You were alone with her. There was no noise of third parties intervening, and above all, the blonde was happy.

"Do those Arcade games still work?" you spoke with a mischievous grin, directing your gaze towards said area.

Vanessa nodded eagerly.

"Yes! Sometimes you have to hit them, but.... do you want to try?" She proposed, her eyes shining in that peculiar way that you knew from then on, you'd do anything to see them sparkling.

Once you nodded eagerly, both of you ran to the Arcade. This had almost all the classic games from the 80s, most of which you played when you were a kid, so you were hoping to remember even a little bit and get back in practice to be a competent opponent.

"Just so we're clear, I will show no mercy," Vanessa said, settling on the second Pac-Man game next to you.

"Neither will the eight-year-old me," You laughed asyou placed your hand on the lever that would control the movements. "However, current me is begging for you to show mercy," you added, nudging her playfully.

"Oh, did someone lose practice?" She asked in an amused tone, but it was also not her intention to make fun of you or tease you any more than necessary.

"Kinda," you shrugged shyly.

"Okay, don't worry, we'll take it slow. You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," she joked and pressed the start button as soon as you signaled you were ready.

At first, you had trouble remembering how to be a pro at these games, and even with Vanessa evidently losing on purpose so you wouldn't feel bad, you failed to reach a more or less decent record. But since you had faith that it would happen, you slowly started to remember all those years where you rode your bike to the Arcades with your friends and spent all your coins on hours and hours on games like these.

So, you got your practice back, and it was a matter of about half an hour before the real fun began. Vanessa began to show how tough she was at these games, and you showed her what you were made of too.

You were proud to observe her improvement. The blonde went from growing frustrated with unintentionally dropping something due to the trembling of her hands, to showing great skill and firmness in wanting to beat you in this competition that had been created between you.

You weren't even aware of the fact that it was almost midnight. If it weren't for the fact that Vanessa saw out of the corner of her eye the hands of the clock on the wall about to meet at the number 12, you would have sworn it had barely been ten minutes.

"I think we have to go," Vanessa said, once your game screen projected a "Game Over," indicating that she had beaten you once again.

"Yeah, I guess," you replied softly, looking up at her face that was slightly illuminated by the screen and the neon lights decorating the wall.

You picked up the pizza box that had three pieces left over and the bottle of soda that was half full. In front of you were the animatronics. The night would have been completely perfect except that these things terrified you, as they occasionally moved on their own, or sometimes you felt their heads turn in your direction. Vanessa constantly offered you comfort and told you that it happened all the time, and eventually, you managed to get distracted.

A month after this peculiar visit, Vanessa moved back to her apartment, which was farther away than Mike's house was from you. But even no matter if she lived twenty minutes or twenty hours away, you would've never failed to show up every Saturday to go to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza together.

You both adopted the tradition of visiting this abandoned place that gradually began to feel as if it was regaining its liveliness and coziness. The atmosphere ceased to feel heavy, your fear was replaced by excitement every time you entered, and even those animatronics started growing on you. You realized that there was nothing to be afraid of. They were just robots connected to a bunch of wires, and the darkness would go away once one of you took care of turning on the power.

Saturdays weren't the only day you looked forward to, of course.

When she went back to work, and notified you that she would make a stop to check on you and Abby in, say, forty minutes, it was forty minutes you longed for them to come to an end. Oh, you remember how you almost fainted when you saw her in that uniform for the first time. Your jaw dropped to the floor, and you had no choice but to tell her as calmly as possible that she looked great.

And when she had her day off, she would always call you to notify you that she wanted to spend it with you, whether it was at her apartment watching sitcoms, or getting together for a casual dinner at a restaurant. The plans tended to be spontaneous most of the time.

And if you opted to go out, you always made it half the time if you managed to convince her to drive her cop car at full speed, and the times she refused, you were also happy to go on the way listening to music with her.

Your heart pounded with unstoppable force as your emotions blossomed intensely towards her. Her presence eclipsed everything around you, and every minute without seeing her was a torturous countdown to the next encounter. Even your conversations with friends and family revolved around the blonde occupying your thoughts. No matter what they were talking about, in one way or another, you ended up bringing her up.

From Abby, you found out that every time Vanessa visited her and Mike, it was the same case. The little girl seemed a little tired of never getting a break from either you or Vanessa mentioning each other. And she was a smart girl, she knew what was going on. The only obstacle that kept you and the blonde from going any further was the fear that it wasn't reciprocated, even if it was more obvious that it indeed was.

One day, you were surprised to receive a call from Mike for dinner at his house. At first, you thought he was actually asking you to come to his house to make dinner, since he wasn't the best cook and you didn't interact with him outside of work hours. However, you had heard correctly, he invited you to his house for dinner.

When you arrived, Vanessa's police car was parked next to Mike's, and you immediately felt the familiar butterflies in your stomach whenever she was around. Oh, you hadn't even seen her and already you felt the thrill of excitement take over you considerably.

You rang the doorbell, and Mike opened the door

Even though he was right in front of you, the first thing you saw was the blonde sitting at the table, stuffing her mouth with a hamburger.

She looked up, and when she met your glanced, she widened her eyes and quickly set the food aside, straightening up and wiping herself with a napkin. That action made you laugh too hard.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, her mouth still a little full. "I'm really hungry, and Mike bought some delicious burgers."

You brushed it off with a smile, "Don't worry, you looked adorable."

A slight blush invaded her cheeks. You preferred to believe that this was simply because she wasn't used to receiving compliments. Her reserved nature showed it.

"Come on, sit down," Mike invited you with a half smile. "I ordered enough burgers and fries for all of us."

You watched him with an arched eyebrow and a puzzled expression but agreed to follow his lead and subsequently sat down next to Vanessa.

"Hi, Abs," you greeted the girl, who was sitting on the other side next to Vanessa.

"Hi," she replied simply as she ate fries on top of the paper that previously wrapped her hamburger.

You grabbed a burger from the bag and some fries, and a can of soda that was sitting cold on the table, ready and waiting to be taken. You began by eating in silence, but it was getting a little desperate as time went on.

"What's the reason for this meeting?" you asked curiously, and also to break the ice.

"Well, it's Abby's last day of school," Mike replied. You had been so absent lately, almost in the clouds, that you completely forgot that summer break had arrived.

"Oh!" You exclaimed. "That's right! Congratulations, Abs!"

"So, I wanted to have a get-together with the people most important to me, to celebrate," Abby continued, and you pouted, followed by a brief 'Awww'.

The night had gone wonderfully, filled with laughter and exchange of anecdotes, most coming from Abby, being about how she got in trouble every time she gave a bully their comeuppance or how she began to make friends after many months staying in isolation.

As dinner came to an end, you and Vanessa said goodbye to Mike and Abby, thanking them for the invitation. It was 10 p.m., still early for you. Normally, your outings alone with her ended at around 1 a.m., so you could perfectly well continue on your own if she wished.

Vanessa seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Do you want to walk around the neighborhood?" She offered gently. Perhaps it was an unusual thing to do at that hour. However, the blonde was wearing her uniform and was armed. Nothing could happen.

"Are you on the clock?" You asked, not wanting such a thing to be an inconvenience or cause for scolding.

She shrugged, "If they don't call me through the Walkie Talkie, I am not," she chuckled.

Vanessa didn't want to stray too far during the walk, so in case she was called, she could easily return to her car and drive to where she was needed.

A comfortable silence had fallen this time, until she spoke first, "Those burgers were delicious, don't you think?"

You laughed, "Yeah, I didn't know that place," you commented, looking down, concentrating on how the pavement moved slowly as you took steps.

"It's a new local business that opened. I go there sometimes. They have really good burritos and milkshakes," she replied. "I'll take you there one of these days. On me."

"Only if next time it's on me."

"On one condition," she replied. Such a statement made you look up quickly.

"That you let me pick you up..." she took a deep breath. "And if it's a date."

And that was the sentence you never expected to hear. That was the moment you never expected to witness. Vanessa seemed to feel the same way you did, it was now a fact and not a fantasy that existed in your wildest dreams.

"Those are two conditions," you didn't know why you said that, maybe to bring a little humor and that way mitigate the nerves that quickly spread through your body, like an electric current passing through your veins.

"Yes," she murmured, as she let out a slight chuckle. "It's silly, please forget I asked you that question."

"Vanessa, I do want to go on a date with you,"

She let out a sigh, and that's when you realized that she had been holding her breath maybe since she proposed her two conditions to you.

To which you agreed. She picked you up punctually at the established time in her regular car. Her hair was down in beautiful waves that showed off her peculiar golden color, and her outfit was composed of a knee-length coat, mom jeans, and a shirt tucked into it. She looked incredibly beautiful. You couldn't believe you were on a date with such a gorgeous woman.

Despite already possessing the title of date, this outing was no different from the others. Deep topics never touched on personal matters, somehow remaining a mystery beyond what each chose to reveal.

That changed drastically when you noticed that she began to dissociate for a moment after you brought up a topic that didn't seem to be of impact. It was only about a stuffed rabbit you had for five years of your childhood.

"Are you okay? Did I say something wrong...?" you asked, concerned palpable all over your face.

"Look, (Y/N), I like you very much," she replied, and as much as you were happy to hear such a thing, you dreaded hearing the next sentence. "I don't know what you want right now, but I do want a serious relationship. I'd rather say this before there are misunderstandings. I need to know, so I'm sure if I reveal to you every aspect of myself, or if I should back off."

"I do want something serious with you," you were quick to reply. The girl next to you was too wonderful a being to settle for only the superficial or the banal. No, you were willing to love Vanessa. "Time will make me start to love you. And there is no turning back now."

She let out a deep breath, "If you want to leave after what I'm about to tell you, I'll understand."

You took her hand across the table and squeezed it in a ressuring manner.

"The disappearance of the children, at the pizzeria. My father is the owner, and he was also responsible," she confessed, looking down at her plate, fear preventing her from meeting your gaze.

Those words hit you like a bucket of cold water on your head. The fact that she frequented that place despite its closure, the connection she seemed to have with it, it all made sense. She seemed to want to cling to what might have been if not for her father's heinous acts, which filled her with overwhelming guilt. You could see it in her eyes.

And since you still had your hand holding hers, you gently rubbed your thumb to bring her comfort, somehow telling her you were still there.

"The first time I tried to stop him, he found a way to bring Vanny back afloat," just mentioning that name made her muscles tense.

"Vanny?" you repeated. As much as you wanted to avoid questions and let her go at her own pace, you were struck by what she said.

"That part of me that's able to endure what he did," she explained. "And that's willing to do what he wants. It's not me, it's complicated..."

"I understand," you nodded. You didn't want her to feel the need to explain further.

"Anyway, he manages to put this mask on me and that's how he's kept me from stopping him all these years," she continued, and her eyes began to water. "I thought I was useless at stopping him, that is, until Mike and Abby needed my help, and they gave me the strength to finally defeat him."

You listened intently to every word, and even if you didn't respond verbally, you provided constant caresses on her hand to let her know everything that words perhaps couldn't describe at once. "I'm here, I will never leave you" was the main thing you sought to convey.

You knew that night that Vanessa was not only conformed by the woman in front of you, but also by a little wounded girl who had to grow up very fast, and had to create her mechanisms to be able to face the terrible childhood she had to live.

Her father did not leave the children alone even after their death and manipulated them to contribute to committing more abominations, just as he did with Vanessa. But we all hit rock bottom sooner or later, and she was finally able to end a nightmare that lasted for decades.

She did it for those missing children, for that little girl who still lived inside her, and for all the children she saved. You understood then that behind her previous coma state was the ultimate act of bravery, and why her connection to Mike and Abby was so sacred.

Vanessa revealed all that to you with the intention of letting you know ahead of time who you were about to get emotionally involved with, and that way, you still had time to decide whether to leave or stay. And for not a split second did you dare to doubt that your decision was the latter.

"I am willing to love you for how you are and for how you were. I will love that part of you that had to face what you couldn't, and I will love that little girl who lives inside you and deserves to heal. I will love you, a survivor who has so much to live for."

She went into your arms, and cried what was evidently stuck for years. You did your best to bring as much comfort as possible both to her and to every version of her that needed it just as much.

It only remains to say that you kept your promise. You showed her in a thousand ways, every day, that if you were willing to love her, you were going to get it no matter how complicated or challenging it might be. It wasn't all easy, but there was no better reward than the fact that your now wife has finally forgiven herself, living the life she deserved, and you were part of it.

#vanessa shelly #vanessa shelly x reader #fnaf vanessa #five nights at freddy's #fnaf movie #elizabeth lail

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hausbabylon · 7 months

Text

distant star

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Word count: 3,428

A/N: Age Of Ultron Wanda because asdkghjksñlfñ why not?!

Warnings: Angst, unspoken feelings, you name it!

Pietro Maximoff recognized talent wherever he saw it, and that's how he made you a member of the band whose lead vocalist and guitarist was his twin sister Wanda Maximoff. Not knowing how or when, all the songs you wrote ended up being about her.

"Alright, let's go over it again."

You rolled your eyes and let out a dramatic sigh, pretending to be annoyed at the brunette's request.

"Don't look at me, look at Pietro who completely messed up in the second verse!" Wanda exclaimed defensively, as she raised her arms in a mock surrender.

"But sing louder, I could run a marathon with the distance you set between you and the microphone!" He protested.

"Oh, shush!" Wanda exclaimed. "It's not about whether I sing loud or not, it's about your bass following a certain pattern and be guided by my guitar! Every time I play this chord, you must follow me..."

You laughed lightly at the little argument that was going on between the twins for maybe the third time throughout the rehearsal. It had barely been twenty minutes.

"Come on, guys!" You interjected. "If you keep arguing this frequently, night will fall, and you know how my mom is when it comes to noise."

Your house possessed a spacious and ideal garage that was perfect for a band to spent its beginnings with. Because of this, you generously offered your house as a rehearsal space most of the time.

However, there was a slight hitch in this arrangement. Your mother, like the Tess Coleman character straight out of one of your favore movies "Freaky Friday", she had the habit of turning off the power switch in the garage as soon as night time came.

Both Wanda and Pietro stopped their argument, and exchanged one last accusatory look, almost as if to say, "You are to blame."

"Clint, you count..." Wanda turned to the drummer, and subsequently, he gathered his drumsticks and did the counting.

You weren't sure how or when you started to sense this, but you knew it when you noticed that you stopped looking down at your guitar and instead, kept your eyes on her, and memorized every gesture she tended to make; frowning or wrinkling her nose during high notes, closing her eyes throughout the whole melody, moving her heel to the sound of her guitar, and your favorite one, when she opened her eyes just to dedicate you glances of approval every time you did a solo with your guitar.

You thought maybe it was the energy and passion Wanda put into every note, as you marveled at the way she gave herself completely to the music, but you realized it was beyond admiration when every song you wrote ended up being a loving ode to every aspect that made her up. Even when you tried to write a funny song about partying, you somehow ended up redirecting it to the woman next to you.

"And so I watch you from afar, like a distant star...

For I'll always love you, but you'll never know...

Ink and paper, my silent confidantes they are…

They seem to whisper, 'Your secret's safe,' as emotions flow..."

Wanda concluded the last song you wrote for her, and this time, it turned out incredibly. You knew it when she let out that sigh of satisfaction that only happened when neither of you messed up a note.

"Another love song, and we don't know your muse," Clint commented, placing his drumsticks on the snare drum.

"I don't have a muse," you excused yourself, and as if it were instinct, you looked at Wanda, who was very busy tuning her guitar.

"I don’t believe you," Pietro stated, as he placed his left arm around your shoulder, while his free hand held the neck of his bass as it rested on his side.

"Come on, I just... write whatever comes to mind," you shrugged. "I don't think of anyone specific, and they don't mean anything."

Both Pietro and Clint scoffed in disbelief, clearly not buying your attempt to brush off their accusation.

“Come on, there has to be some-…” Pietro said.

“Enough,” Wanda interrupted him, and you sighed in relief, sending a thankful look her way. “Whether there is a muse or not, you have every right to tell us when you feel like it. And if that day never comes, that’s okay too,” she added.

“Thank you, Wanda!” You exclaimed, emphasizing those three words as you glanced at your two male bandmates, who were very nosy about your love life.

Pietro withdrew his arm from around your shoulders, but not before giving you a little nudge to annoy you for being spared further questions.

"Now, do you have your three song suggestions for the setlist?" The brunette changed the subject.

In a month's time, perhaps the biggest presentation you would have so far would take place, as a well-known bar gave you a space, and besides, it was going to be Halloween. The four of you were excited, and very determined to seriously connect with the audience, and not just be a very irrelevant background noise for people who were only focused on getting drunk.

After having rehearsed your own songs for a week straight, it was time to focus on the covers. Each of the band members had the right to suggest three songs to elaborate the setlist for this presentation, and you would be the first to make your choice known.

"Break In by Halestorm and Amy Lee," Wanda read the first title, and nodded with a smile. "Things I'll Never Say by Avril Lavigne," she continued. "Oh! Lovesong by The Cure?!”

"Yes..." you said in a hesitant tone.

"Are we seeing the same person who for the last show made us play Angel's Punishment by Lacuna Coil?" Clint exclaimed from his seat, while laughing.

"Oh! My throat still hurts from doing those gutturals," Pietro seconded, rubbing his throat in a dramatic manner.

"Lacuna Coil is an excellent band," you justified.

"And Pietro, you insisted on doing those gutturals, when I could have done them Maria Brink style," Wanda added. "Speaking of which, how about Scarlet by In This Moment? It's among my suggestions actually..." she changed the subject again, to evade another interrogation towards you.

And so, with each passing rehearsal afternoon, your feelings for Wanda became more and more unbearable, and thus, more and more noticeable.

So notorious, that Pietro and Clint were fully aware that all those songs you couldn't stop writing were about her. And therefore, their insistence was no longer about you revealing the identity of your muse, instead, their new goal was to convince you to confess to her.

"(Y/N), my little sister would melt for you just by knowing that you wrote songs for her," Pietro tried to persuade you, following you into the kitchen of your house with the excuse of helping you carry ice for the drinks you would take to the garage.

"And what if she doesn't? What if she finds me weird?" You countered. "She had zero interest in knowing who the person I was writing for was."

"Exactly!" Pietro exclaimed, clearly seeing it from a different point of view than you.

And more of these conversations took place whenever Wanda wasn't around, and to say you were fed up was an understatement.

You were afraid to risk the beautiful, deep-rooted friendship that had blossomed between you and the brunette, ever since Pietro introduced her to you seven months ago and said: "I got us a rythm guitarist."

So frequent became those sleepovers where you would listen to your favorite music, watch classic movies from the 2000s, and have deep conversations until two in the morning. Pietro would jump at the bed at early hours in the morning, asking Wanda to make him pancakes since he was nice enough to give up the TV so you guys could use it.

She also had a sixth sense that seemed to provide her the ability to appear when you needed her the most, as your eyes would sparkle with excitement every time you heard the doorbell ring and subsequently saw Wanda from your window with a basket full of both of you guys' favorite snacks, and her guitar in hand, which meant she would take you to the park to compose songs in a notebook you shared, with the purpose of distracting you from whatever happened that day. Even though the notebook you wrote in didn't have a single free space, and was full of scratches and notes, you didn't have the heart to throw it away.

That was just the tip of the iceberg. That was why it frustrated you that your male bandmates would take so lightly something as delicate as telling your best friend that you were head over heels in love with her, so you clung to your secret love, treasuring it like a fragile shadow that resided within you.

And so, the big day came. Pietro, Clint, Wanda and you took your positions on the small stage in the bar. Within the crowd, you noticed a few familiar faces, and a feeling of happiness invaded you as you realizes that you were slowly reaching a point where you could say you had a few loyal fans already.

"Good evening, everyone!" Wanda's accent added a little bit of allure to her words, drawing everyone's attention. "Thank you for joining us tonight!"

And with that, the first song started, as soon as Clint counted in with a rhythmic tap of his drumsticks.

As you gracefully played your guitar along with Wanda's, you couldn't tear your gaze away from her. You remembered vividly how the light casted a mesmerizing glow around her, and she always maintained those little habits while she performed, not to mention that astonishing voice of hers, that could go from raspy to high pitched, from sorrowful to joyful in a matter of seconds.

You didn't care if the entire audience noticed the intensity of your gaze. In fact, you were proud to declare, even silently, that you were deeply in love with Wanda Maximoff. The passionate emotion in your lyrics seemed to resonate even more as she poured her heart into every word, and there you realized that, even mindlessly, the brunette seemed to understand your feelings more than anyone else.

"I want you to meet the incredibly talented musicians who make up this band," Wanda said as soon as the audience finished applauding, her enthusiasm made you smile automatically. "On main guitar, we have the amazing (Y/N)," she gestured towards you, and you did a small reverence as everyone cheered you with applause and whistles. "On bass, my twin brother Pietro, who's older by thirteen minutes... so whenever he brags about being the older sibling, just remember, it's only by thirteen minutes!" She joked, and Pietro burst out in laughter as he also greeted at the public with a wide grin plastered on his face. "On drums, we have the talented Clint!" She gestured towards the drummer's way, and he stood up as he waved at everyone. "And... I'm Wanda, the rythm guitarist and vocalist."

The evening continued, and so far, all those rehearsals had been worth it, for there were a considerable number of people jumping and clapping animatedly, and for every time you looked away from Wanda to look at the audience, it seemed as if the number doubled.

Until it came time to introduce the last song you had written about the woman next to you.

It held a significance to you beyond comprehension, and although you had seen her rehearse it multiple times, there was something different about that night that was going to make it more magical than the other times.

"The next song was written by my beloved rhythm guitarrist," Wanda said into the microphone, and the entire audience clapped and whistled in a form of support for you. "I always thought it was a beautiful song, but now I can say that this one has a face, and... a name," she added, and again, everyone in the audience applauded. You turned to face Pietro, who shrugged, and as you turned to face Clint, he looked as confused as you.

"This last song I would like to dedicate to my dear Vision, the man who I have secretly loved for so long, and two weeks ago, he came to me and confessed what I thought impossible, he reciprocated."

It felt as if as if a thousand swords pierced right towards your heart, shattering it into a million pieces as her words echoed through the room.

Every memory you shared with Wanda came crashing down upon you, each one of them feeling like a heavy brick that fell over you, until they slowly buried you. You thought, only in death was it possible to experience such a thing, but you were wrong, the agony of heartbreak was just as overwhelming.

"There you are... hi, darling!" She giggled, and Vision shyly laughed as he greeted the public around him.

You glanced at his direction, and there he was, with his blonde hair and glasses, the man who took everything from you... but objectively talking, he was simply the man who took the chance you always took for granted, and therefore, you ended up missing.

But even then, you forced yourself to swallow your heart that was threatening to come out of your throat, and began to play the corresponding chords. You hadn't invested so many weeks of dedication for a moment of weakness to make you throw away all that effort.

"And so I watch you from afar, like a distant star...

For I'll always love you, but you'll never know...

Ink and paper, my silent confidantes they are…

They seem to whisper, 'Your secret's safe,' as emotions flow..."

Somehow, you were grateful for that small work of mercy that the universe had for you, as you didn't know how you would have survived if you had not chosen this song as the closing song.

As soon as you left the stage, you made your way to the outside of the bar, almost hoping that your feelings were an object that you could simply forget about in there, but the reality was that they were chasing you until you drowned.

"(Y/N)?" You heard Pietro's voice, behind you, and you ran to him desperately seeking comfort, like a soul in sorrow that had just been banished from all that could have been a valley of angels.

As soon as you felt the warmth of his body, you burst into tears. It wasn't just the pain that Wanda had found someone else, but the fact that she had taken something as sacred as words spoken from the most vulnerable part of your heart and addressed them to another individual as if they were a crumbled piece of paper that she could toss, not caring where it landed.

"I swear I had no idea," Pietro whispered, stroking your head as he rested his chin on your head. "Vision was a family friend, but she never gave any signs, never mentioned anything..."

The older twin's shirt was stained with your tears, as the merciless cold threatened to freeze you both right there, but despite the multiple signals your body was sending through shivering and shuddering sighs, you remained in the same place letting the silence of the street drag with it your sobs and wails for a love that was never yours.

Pietro took you home after an hour, and embraced you, while your tears clouded your sight until it was completely obscured, making you fall into a deep sleep, as if your body had taken pity on you and knocked you out to mitigate the pain that was eating away at you.

The next day, Clint arrived with boats of ice cream in an attempt to cheer you, and comforted you as much as physically possible. Each one of them, in their unique way, seemed willing to take every piece of you and put it back together, like you were their very own human kintsugi, making you even more resilient than you were before the chaos shattered you.

Wanda showed up after a week, her patience worn thin by the deafening silence that had persisted ever since what was supposed to be your big night. Her concern for you had grown, and she couldn't stand the thought of her messages going unanswered any longer.

"Hey," she greeted you, and judging by her smile, she seemed so oblivious that it somehow relieved you. Even in the midst of all your sorrow, all you wanted was for her to choose her own path of happiness even if it was one that didn't involve you as her partner.

Yes, you wanted to be part of her journey, maybe like a distant star yet so shiny it could be perceived even from 150 million kilometers apart. And in that moment, your love for her manifested itself more than in any song you could ever have written, because you decided to withdraw and pretend that your heart was not shattered, just so that hers could beat unbound.

"Hey, listen, I was not ignoring you, it's just that I am having the worst migraines lately, perhaps for the cold..." you excused yourself.

"I know," she said, her tone telling it all. She knew. "I know everything."

Pietro... who else could it be?

Two simple words that you have heard before through different contexts were able to thwart the fragile equilibrium you had acquired, for that was the first thing that started a fury within your being, and it wasn't the fact that Pietro had exposed you.

"Hey, hey, calm down..." Wanda quickly exclaimed, interrupting your train of thought. You blinked a couple of times, and your vision was blurred, indicating that you were starting to cry.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" You exclaimed, as you sobbed. "I just... I don't know how or why it happened, I'm so sorry," you apologized in a desperate plea for understanding.

You felt the need to apologize, because you felt as if being in love with Wanda was a transgression against your friendship, a condemnation to put it to an end.

She captured you in her arms, and naturally, you weakened at her touch, as you did with her and no one else. It was maybe something you could not comprehend, but it always felt as if there wasn't a point where you ended and Wanda started, therefore, the weight on your shoulders distributed itself so it would be a little more bearable.

"I have this habit of being negative to no end, so I don't let myself down by getting my hopes up so high," Wanda spoke, once she allowed you to let out everything you had stuck, because she knew very well that you needed it. "I wanted to believe that those songs were about me, but.... what if they weren't? So I kept telling myself constantly that they were about someone else. And it hurt. It hurt just imagining it, and I was where you are now."

In that moment, it felt like the world had ceased to turn. You couldn't believe what you had just heard. Wanda, the woman you had secretly loved, was confessing that she had feelings for you too. It was a revelation that seemed too surreal to be true, and your mind struggled to process it.

Before you could find the right words to answer her, she continued, "I never saw my brother as furious with me as he was after that night," the brunette confessed, sighing. "He asked me, 'Why Vision? You're lying to yourself', and he said I didn't deserve that love song you wrote about me, as I dedicated it to a man that I don't love. In response, I kept insisting that all those songs weren't for me, and that the best thing to do was to try to move on, convince myself that Vision was the safer option, even if I knew in my heart that you were the right option..." she paused. "Out of frustration, he told me everything. And I'm sorry, so sorry, because Pietro is right, I don't deserve to..."

You stopped her right there, and crashed yous lips with hers.

There. The wait was over, and in that perfect, heart-stopping moment, everything fell into place.

She reciprocated immediately, and you could feel her firm grip on your waist. You felt a deep pleasure due to the culmination of unspoken feelings, but overall, you knew you finally had found home in Wanda's lips when the kiss felt more natural than anything else.

"It's just one song," you whispered softly against her parted lips. "I can always write more."

#wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x you #marvel #elizabeth olsen #elizabeth olsen x reader

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hausbabylon · 7 months

Text

bundle of luck

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

A/N: Oh how I wish I could take with me every single cat I see :(

Word count: 2,626

Warnings: None, just fluff for a change!

After another lovely date with Natasha, you find a stray cat resting peacefully on the porch of your house.

The scent of Natasha's perfume wafted into your nostrils as soon as she placed her signature black jacket over your shoulders, giving you a light squeeze as a small display of affection.

You always swore there was no way the burning sun would eventually fade away and be replaced by gray clouds in a matter of a few hours, but by now you should have learned that such a thing was possible, for this was another occasion where you didn't bring your own jacket, and consequently, Natasha was lending you hers.

While such an action caused you to melt right there and then, completely touched by her charm and attentiveness, it was also true that it made you feel a pang of guilt. The last thing you wanted was to be a bother when these past five months she had been anything but a total dream of a woman for you.

The first time, you completely refused and she, between giggles stated that a 11°C weather was like hot summerfor a tough Russian woman such as herself. So the next three times you just thanked her and rewarded her in one way or another, like giving her a cold beer after dropping you off at your place, a drink you started buying just to have an excuse to invite her inside.

This day was no exception, of course. After she lent you her jacket and gave you a pleasant ride on her motorcycle to drop you off safe and sound, you said to her, "Would you like a beer? As a gesture of thanks for the jacket and the ride... and another wonderful date, of course," although at this point, both of you knew perfectly well that this was more than a thank you gesture.

"You know I'd never turn down a beer, moya lyubov," she replied, but what the redhead meant was 'you know I'd never turn down spending at least a few more minutes with you’. She never said it directly, however, something inside you always knew how to read between the lines. Maybe that's why your relationship with her lasted so many years later, but that’s another story to tell, now we're talking about the beginning.

"Come inside, then," you smiled at her.

"Oh, my goodness!" She exclaimed, her face lighting up even more and her smile expanding from ear to ear. She had her attention set to a fixed point behind you, and when you turned to see what was the cause of it, it didn't take you a second to mirror the action of the older woman.

A cat that looked perhaps a year old, whose color was an elegant beautiful black, was sleeping peacefully on the top tier of the porch of your house. The way it was curled up in a ball did not allow you to observe if there was a collar around its neck or not.

"I think it's best if we leave, let's not disturb them," Natasha whispered, and you couldn't help but let out a laugh at her suggestion.

She remained serious.

"Oh, you're telling me not to enter my own house so I don't disturb this unknown cat?" You teased, a playful grin forming on your lips as you glanced at Natasha.

“Uhm, yes,” she snorted, as if what you asked was the most obvious thing in the world.

You couldn't complain, you always felt a sort of twist in your stomach every time your outings with Natasha came to an end and it was time to say goodbye, so you happily agreed to put your helmet back on and go wherever she wanted.

You were both getting on the motorcycle, when in the corner of your eye you noticed a small shadow moving. The cat was stretching after waking up from that peaceful nap.

"Change of plans," the redhead laughed, and removed her helmet, then got off her motorcycle.

With the most cautious steps possible, she walked in the direction of the little cat, which had its green eyes already open as it preened its right paw.

After sensing the presence of a stranger, any other cat would have gotten up and run away in a matter of seconds. However, this cat simply looked up and walked towards Natasha, sniffing her outstretched hand and then rubbing against her as if she were its lifelong owner.

"Awww, hey there, little one," she murmured in a gentle tone, as she kneeled. The cat, displaying a never-seen-before trust, allowed Natasha to scratch it behind its ears.

You couldn’t stop smiling as you watched this ‘tough Russian woman’ interact so tenderly with the cat.

As Natasha continued to pet the black cat, she commented, "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?"

You approached her and kneeled down beside her, extending your hand towards the cat. It smelled you briefly and subsequently rubbed its head against your hand, just like it did with the redhead.

It purred softly, as if to express its gratitude for the warmth and kindness you and Natasha were showing towards it.

“Oh my, what a precious little thing!” You exclaimed, as you pouted, feeling your heart melt with tenderness.

You had cats most of your life, but that changed when you moved to this new city nine months ago. The last cat you had in your previous home stayed temporarily with your best friend Kate, and her golden retriever Lucky had become your cat's best friend in no time.

As soon as you stabilized, you brought him back to your side, and you noticed that he stopped eating, and constantly meowed in desperation whenever he heard Kate's voice or Lucky’s barks on the phone. So you decided to do the most generous act of love for your dearest companion, and respected his wishes to stay with Kate and Lucky the dog.

You were a firm believer that cats chose their owners, and the fact that this unknown black cat came into your home, and above all, was so affectionate towards you and Natasha, was a sign that there was a reason why it had come into your life.

"Do you think they have an owner?" you asked, feeling your heart melt as you caressed each one of its cheeks with your thumbs. It had its eyes closed, and you could swear it was almost smiling, a sign that your affection was deeply appreciated.

Natasha carefully examined the cat's neck, and her fingers confirmed what you suspected, there was no collar. "Doesn't look like it," she replied, her gaze still fixed on the cat. “We should adopt them,” she added, as if she has this power of reading your thoughts.

You often wondered if she was really able to read your thoughts, for she had an amazing pulse to tell you what you were thinking. She, likewise, also believed that you possessed that ability, and you loved that smile she would display every time she let you know that you said just what she was thinking.

Many factors made it indisputable that you had found your person, and you felt it when you observed how lovingly she was treating this little cat. She loved animals, what more could you ask for?

"Nat, there is nothing I want more than to do this with you," you declared. As your relationship with her progressed, you lost count of how many times you answered her with that same sentence.

"So what are we going to do, share custody like we're a divorced couple?" Natasha laughed, and it automatically rubbed off on you, making you laugh along with her.

"Yes, we can have a custody agreement," you teased, pretending to mull it over. "You get weekends and Christmas, and I'll have weekdays and New Year."

Natasha raised an eyebrow, feigning seriousness. "Hmm, I don't know if I can handle only seeing our little furball on weekends! We’ll discuss that in court!"

You chuckled, shaking your head, “No, but seriously, you get one week and every Friday we drop the child off at each other’s house. How about that?” You proposed.

Natasha grinned, leaning in to give you a quick kiss on the lips, "Sounds like a plan,” she paused. “Oh, I’m not supposed to kiss you! We’re divorcing!” She joked.

"Right, right,” you nodded in agreement. Even though you were trying so hard to play serious, you couldn’t stop smiling. “Divorce proceedings concluded. Now, how about we go to the vet for a quick check-up?

Natasha grinned and nodded. "Absolutely, it's time for some serious co-parenting."

Very gently, the redhead took the cat in her arms, to which the two of you gave multiple caresses during your 'custody discussion'. You, on the other hand, entered your house to quickly grab your car keys and opened your garage, making way for your girlfriend to enter with your new companion.

As you approached your car, you unlocked the doors, opening the passenger one for Natasha to get into the vehicle with the cat securely in her arms.

The car ride was better than expected, the cat appeared anxious but Natasha made sure to reach in to comfort and stroke it, so there wasn’t any sort of inconvenience beyond its occasional meowing.

Once there, you and Natasha were told to wait around fifteen minutes for the vet to be available. When your turn came, a kind and gentle soul, greeted you all with a warm smile, taking the little one carefully and then instructing you to wait outside.

After half an hour or so, the veterinarian returned with the cat, who appeared to have shinier hair and had a red bandana around its neck, indicating that it had received a bath.

"Wow, poor thing, didn't cause a lot of trouble?" Natasha asked, as she took the cat back into her arms and briefly sniffed its fur, making you giggle.

"She's very well-behaved," the veterinarian replied.

"She?" The redhead and you said in unison.

"That's right, she's a female," she confirmed.

"Detka, do you have any idea how rare female black cats are? There's always a higher chance it's male!" Natasha turned to you, her green eyes taking on an immediate gleam as she looked back down at the cat in her arms.

“It seems like we have a very special lady with us now,” you commented, caressing the cat’s chin. “Our lucky charm.”

Natasha nodded in agreement, and turned her attention back to the vet, “And how is her health?”

"She appears to be in good health overall," she began. "I gave her a bath treatment to get rid of fleas, and applied an anti-flea pipette, which should be applied every month," she continued, to which both of you were paying cautious attention. “She had also had internal parasites, and she's quite malnourished. But the good news is that these issues can be treated. We'll start with a deworming medication to address the parasites. Additionally, I'll provide you with dietary recommendations to help her regain her strength. She's also due for some vaccinations to keep her protected."

After expressing your gratitude to the veterinarian and making an appointment for the next checkup in two weeks, you and Natasha split the bill evenly, each covering your share of the expenses.

The next step was to head to the nearest pet store, in order to provide everything your new cat would need in both of her new homes. You picked out two litter boxes, one for each home, making sure they were spacious and easy to clean. For food and water, you selected two sets of bowls, and made sure to stock up on the special recovery food the vet had prescribed… of course you couldn’t resist grabbing several treats and toys to keep her entertained and spoiled.

As you pushed the shopping cart filled with items, you smiled widely when you spotted the heartwarming scene through the car window. There, in the passenger seat, Natasha sat patiently with the cat nestled comfortably on her lap, peacefully asleep.

The bond between Natasha and the cat was something that you knew would grow stronger with every passing day, and it was evident that this adorable addition to your lives had found a special place in Natasha's heart.

Once you returned home, you wasted no time in setting up the new living space. The litter box was strategically placed, and the bowls were filled with cat tuna and fresh water respectively. The scent of the food immediately drew the attention of your new little friend, for she eagerly approached the bowl, and devoured her meal in a matter of seconds.

Fortunately, the prescribed deworming pill, carefully hidden in the food, went unnoticed as she happily ate. Natasha and you exchanged smiles, relieved to see her enjoying her first proper meal in her new home.

“While I was in the car waiting for you, I was thinking about some names,” Natasha said, sitting cross legged on the floor as she simply observed in awe how the black cat enjoyed the food she was provided.

You turned to her, "What names did you come up with?" You asked, as you imitated her action of sitting cross legged on the floor.

"I remembered a creature in Slavic mythology named Liho, and I think it suits her, what do you think?” Natasha proposed.

You repeated the name softly, trying it out. It had a unique and gentle ring to it, just like the cat herself. "Liho," you said with a smile. "I like it. It's perfect. Does it have a meaning?"

“Liho is the embodiment of evil fate and misfortune,” she explained.

Your laughter rang through the room at Natasha's explanation.

"Liho, the embodiment of evil fate and misfortune? Come on, Nat, look at her!" You pointed at the cat, who was now drinking some water. "How can she be evil? She's an absolute sweetheart!”

Natasha chuckled at your response, understanding that her choice was unconventional, "I wanted to name her something not too obvious, something contrary to her. Liho just felt right, like she's going to defy all the superstitions."

You smiled, noticing the thought and care Natasha had put into the name. She indeed had a unique reasoning behind it, "I get it. Liho it is, our little bundle of luck."

Every Friday, as promised, you remained true to your playful ‘custody agreement’. You and Natasha would take turns dropping off the cat at each other's houses.

On those days, you would pack a bag for Liho, making sure it contained her food and a selection of toys to keep her entertained. The cat, ever adaptable, quickly grew accustomed to the weekly transitions, and her sweet demeanor made the process a piece of cake.

It had become a cherished habit to feel Liho's weight on your feet during cozy movie nights, or to find her perched on the windowsill, her inquisitive eyes watching the world outside as you and Natasha cooked dinner together whenever she visited you, or viceversa.

Over time, Liho's transformation was notorious and drastic. With consistent care, her health steadily improved. Gone were the days of malnourishment, for she had gained weight, and her black hair shimmered with vitality. All thanks to the love and dedication you both poured into her recovery, an unavoidable response to the way she had effortlessly wrapped you both around her little paw from the moment she had first appeared on your house's porch.

And it was a matter of time for Liho to have just one home, for you and Natasha decided to take the next step after a year, and decided to move together.

And it was also a matter of time for a new member to join your family as well…

#natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x you #scarlett johansson #black widow #black widow x reader #marvel

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hausbabylon · 8 months

Text

when the storm subsides

WandaNat x Fem Reader

Word count: 4,367

Warnings: 18+ content, neglect, stimulation, edging, spanking, degradation, humiliation, praising, masturbation, oral (w. and r receiving), strap-on (r. receiving), face riding (w. receiving), squirting, fluffy ending. Mommy!Wanda and Daddy!Nat.

You had taken real pains to make your little affair with Wanda Maximoff something more. The day you gave up, you gained more than you thought you'd lose.

It was one of those nights when you felt alone in a crowded room. The noise of the people around you only intensified the feeling of isolation.

You looked around, searching for a familiar face, but even the only face you knew seemed like a stranger. You wished for her to talk to you, to share your thoughts, but the fear of another rejection or being misunderstood kept you from reaching out.

With Wanda Maximoff, you began to feel increasingly defeated in your attempts to catch her attention. Despite going out of your way to make conversation and engage with her, you found that her eyes and interest were always drawn to others who spoke to her. Over time, you began to question whether your efforts were worth it, or if you should simply move on and focus your attention elsewhere.

The conversation among the people present revolved around materialistic things. They bragged about their properties, discussed how much their sales had risen in the past months and shared their plans to increase them even more. You noticed that most of them were middle-aged, almost like the woman sitting beside you.

It was surprising to realize that your beloved powerful witch, who possessed a higher state of consciousness, had these friends who were evidently blinded by ambition and were very poor in spirit.

One particular woman made you feel insecure. Throughout the whole evening, she seemed to be in between you and the woman you loved so much. It was as if she knew how to project her confidence and charm in just the right way to make you feel inferior, and she was succeeding. Wanda laughed louder than usual at her jokes, she touched the other woman's forearm or leg at every opportunity, and this other woman at the same time would give you a teasing look whenever you were ignored by Wanda. You felt like you were constantly competing with her, even though you knew deep down that it was a battle you could never win.

The last straw was when she spoke to Wanda's ear, and when her eyes fell on you, she gave you a teasing wink. This small gesture was enough to make your blood boil.

"Wanda, I wanna go," you protested in the Sokovian's ear, once the woman you knew as Natasha Romanoff finally turned away from her. "I'm bored, and this whole evening you've barely turned to look at me."

"They're my friends from High School, do you have any idea how long I haven't seen them? Please let me enjoy this moment."

You tried to put on a brave face and hide your disappointment, but it was hard. You had hoped that this evening would be a chance to meet Wanda’s friends, perhaps connect with her in a more meaningful way, but instead, you felt like an outsider.

"Why did you invite me here if it was to have me as a seat filler? You should have come alone," you snapped. "And alone you will go."

You took your bag and rose from your seat at the dinner table. Before leaving, you made sure to say thank you to the hostess for her hospitality, which was ironic given that the hostess was none other than the red-haired woman.

You decided to go to the bathroom upstairs, and take a moment to yourself before making your way home. Even the bathroom was as large as the main bedroom in an ordinary house. But of course it was Wanda's wealthy friends, they somehow felt the need to live in such an unnecessarily large mansion even if they were by their own.

It was all so difficult.

Wanda would treat you as her special girl, the best thing in her life, but only when you were pleasuring her at that time. It was during moments like these that you realized that her affirmations were not sincere, at least not outside of the carnal area.

Maybe this was a sign. Wanda did not see you in the way you desired: as someone willing to give not only your body, but your soul as well. You didn’t simply want her to hold you after she's finished using you for her own pleasure; you wanted her to count on you on her worst days. You wanted to be the first person she thought of when she wanted to share anything at all. You longed to be included in her plans, to be part of her daily activities, no matter how banal they were.

You had been trying so hard to impress her, for example, with new outfits, but it seemed like she just didn’t care unless she took them off you right after. You felt like you have done everything you possibly could, but it was still not enough. She gave you so many signs that maybe you were not the right person for her, at least not emotionally. She may have enjoyed being intimate with you, nothing beyond that. In the end, this was partially your fault, or at least you felt that way. You were too much of a non-conformist, and that could have been part of the problem, as you expected more from what Wanda was willing to offer.

You tried to hold back the tears were very close to spill from your eyes. You had hoped that things would be eventually be different with Wanda, that she would see you and love you for who you were, but it all pointed to the fact that you were just another accessory for her to show off.

You spent about ten minutes in there, trying to build up the courage to face Wanda and cut all ties with her before she could hurt you again.

But you knew it was in vain, when you heard a few knocks on the door. You knew it was Wanda, and you realized that you would melt into those green eyes as soon as you opened that door.

To your surprise, it was not Wanda who stood on the other side of the door. It was the woman who was the main reason of your mental breakdown.

You gulped slightly.

At least with Wanda, you knew what to expect. But with this woman, you had no idea.

"What's the matter, little girl, are you in the middle of a tantrum because your Mommy ignored you?" Her voice was soft and gentle, but it had a mocking tone.

"I know this makes you happy. Just with little touches she seemed to be whoring herself out to you, so be my guest," you were about to get out of there, resigned to the fact that it would be a long drive home where you would have to invoke every divine force in existence to protect you from an accident from driving in this state.

You were about to exit the bathroom, but she quickly raised her arm to create a barrier to stop you from passing.

"I wanted to get her attention, yes, but also yours,” she confessed. “She is very busy, and may not have the time to give you the care you deserve. That's where I come in."

Your eyes widened like plates, demonstrating how taken aback you were. Natasha was stunningly beautiful, so it was easy for you to be left in awe.

And it was as if your body made an action of its own, disconnecting itself from your brain, when you automatically tugged at the lapel of her jacket and your lips crashed with hers.

She responded eagerly, your mouth opening to allow her tongue to explore the depths of your cavity. It was a battle that neither you or her seemed to win, it was just an endless exchange of kisses, each one deeper and more intense than the last.

"Take me to your room," you spoke between gasps. She pulled away briefly to look into your eyes, and Natasha's sharp nails prickled your skin as she grabbed your cheeks a bit too hard.

"I'm not taking you to my room, I'm taking you to a room," she corrected, and released you roughly.

The room in question was still dim, illuminated only by a soft red glow that emanated from some led lights that were placed on the ceiling and the floor respectively. As your eyes adjusted to the light, the first thing you saw was a queen size bed in the center of the room, its sheets and blankets neatly made. In front of the bed, almost taking up the entire wall, was a large mirror. It reflected the red light in a way that made it seem as though the mirror itself was on fire. You understood immediately why Natasha would chose to put such a large and ostentatious mirror in her bedroom.

Natasha closed the door behind you, and suddenly, she grabbed you by the neck, her sharp nails digging into your skin again. Initially, the pain caused you to gasp, but then you realized that you loved the sensation of her touch.

Finally, she placed her hand in that area and pushed you backwards until you were pinned against the wall next to the bed.

Everything about Natasha was intoxicating, from the way she moved to the way she spoke. She always maintained a neutral tone, which differed from her harsh and straightforward actions. Though you didn’t complained, you knew at this point that actions spoke higher than words.

She pulled up the fabric of your dress, which reached a little above your knees. When it was sufficiently lifted, she slid it up your waist, your torso, and your arms, which you lifted by inertia. Finally, the garment was on the floor, leaving you only in your shoes and bra. And no, you weren't wearing any panties, which was the first thing the redhead noticed.

"What a nasty little bitch you are," she snapped, shaking her head. "I was going to be nice to you, but a whore like you deserves no mercy,” you could feel her staring at you, taking in every inch of your body.

She placed her hand on your chest to keep you in place, and she bent down to reach the drawer next to the bed. Subsequently, she pulled out a rope from there.

The redhead then ordered you to sit with your back resting on the bed headboard, only to take your wrists with a peculiar aggressiveness, and tied them in such a way that there was no way you could defend yourself.

It was very evident that she cared very little about your feelings. She had a deliberate intention to establish herself as your superior, and you were only a subordinate who followed her orders. The most frustrating part of this all was that you could feel the heat between your legs growing with each passing second, for you were completely at her mercy.

She then kissed you with an intense and almost animalistic hunger that left you breathless. You could feel the pressure of her lips against yours, and every once in a while, she would bite down on your lower lip with a strength that made you gasp in pleasure.

Her mouth slowly descended onto your neck, the warmth of her breath making you feel vulnerable. You felt like she had known you for years, like she had done this before, because she knew all of your weaknesses perfectly. It was as if she was reading your mind, knowing exactly what you wanted and needed, as if she had been given a detailed instruction on how to treat you, as if someone else had shared your deepest desires and secrets with her.

Her fingers made their way all over your body, until she reached that weak spot that was desperately throbbing for her.

"Ahhh… fuck y-yes!" You exclaimed, arching your back after feeling an exquisite electric current run from this area, all the way up to your stomach.

“Needy and foul-mouted,” she giggled. Her touch was gentle yet insistent, bringing you closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.

Her movements became more deliberate, more focused, and you could notice the desire building within her as well. With each circular motion of her fingers, you felt yourself falling deeper and deeper under her spell, lost in a world of pure pleasure.

The redhead continued to caress and stimulate you, making it evident that the pleasure of your body was her top priority at the moment. Her fingers felt more and more lubricated with your fluids, making you a mess of moans that was almost humiliating. However, you didn’t care, everything was perfect, the intensity just right.

As you gazed into the mirror, you could see your own reflection staring back at you. You let out shameless moans as Natasha was above you with her head buried in your neck. Your arms were positioned above your head, your wrists bound to the headboard. All whilst Natasha's right hand was actively touching you, heightening the pleasure you were experiencing.

Your body began to tense up even more, and the heat rose to your cheeks, it was too much to bear that you could feel a lump forming in your throat. You knew you were on the verge of the climax. Despite the fact that she had not yet inserted her fingers, the older woman had managed to stimulate you in all the right places with just her touch alone.

"Mmm, someone's going to cum," the woman said, her eyes fixed on your body's reaction. "But I told you I wouldn't have mercy on you."

She withdrew her fingers.

“No! No! No!” You exclaimed desperately, your tone carried all the disbelief and frustration you were feeling. This woman was twisted and evil, how could she?

As she got out of bed, you hoped she would grab something to provide some relief, but your hopes were dashed as she exited the room, leaving you laying there angry and unsatisfied.

You then noticed the mirror across the room, which suddenly took on a different hue. Your heart sank as you realized you could see what -or rather who- was on the other side.

To your shock, it was a see-thru mirror! And on the other side was Wanda. She was lying on a similar bed, completely naked and not tied up like you. She appeared to have just achieved her first orgasm, unlike you who had not reached that point yet.

So Wanda had seen it all.

You didn’t know how to feel, whether furious or aroused, as you realized that you had been manipulated by both women.

As Wanda disappeared from view, you were left alone to contemplate the situation. But your thoughts were interrupted when the door opened to reveal Wanda dressed in a bridal robe, and Natasha was standing next to her, grabbing her by the waist.

They were both stunning in their own way, Natasha seemed tough and was indeed tough, on the other side, Wanda held a sweet façade that could be easily shattered into a sadistic being. This has happened on several occasions, and given the expression on her face, this could be one of those occasions.

"Look at your slutty little girl, letting me fuck her without your permission. What are you going to do, Miss Maximoff?" Natasha provoked her, and those words were of great terror to you.

As you stood there, she silently approached you with a determined look in her eyes. Her jaw was tight, and with each step, her face grew more intense.

You expected the worst to happen, since you were in a situation that was perfect for her to do whatever she wanted to do to you, without you being able to defend yourself.

However, she reached out and released the ties that bound you to the bed.

She proceeded to remove your bra and heels, and grabbed you until you were on all fours. It was a rough maneuver that left you feeling exposed and vulnerable to both women. As she knelt behind you, you could feel the fabric of her dressing gown brush against your skin.

She leaned forward, and grabbed your arms to place them behind you to tie you up again.

You heard the door close again, and you knew it was Natasha who did it. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves and think clearly.

Wanda's hand caressed the skin of your ass, her touch was firm as you have always known it.

“Look at how pathetic she is, surrendering herself at just a simple touch,” she addressed Natasha, and the latter hummed in agreement.

Wanda stopped stroking you and you felt her palm drop hard, spanking you aggressively.

It was clear that Wanda was angry, and you could sense that she was taking it out on you. Her intentions were obvious from the way she was acting.

“No, she deserves worse,” Natasha commented, and before you could even question what it was, you felt a whip with a thick belt. It surprised you, but instead of pain, it brought a tingling sensation throughout your body.

“Count!” Wanda grabbed a handful of your hair and tugged on it. You started to think that she believed that harsh treatment instead of simple words was the only way to get through to you.

As you looked up, you noticed that Natasha was watching the scene intently. .

You closed your eyes willingly this time, and braced yourself for the whip, “One!”

When you sensed another whip coming, you took the deepest breath your body could allow you at that instant. "Aahh, t-two," you squeaked this time.

You could also hear moaning in the distance, that's when you realized this was something of a spectacle for Natasha’s pleasure as well.

"Three," all this was sweet agony, and you were drawn into a darkest part of your psyche that surrendered to this most pleasurable sensation.

“Four…” your fists were clenching behind your back.

“Five…” you jumped, this was perhaps the strongest one.

“Six…” your legs weakened, and Wanda held your hips to keep you in place.

“Seven…” a couple of tears started welling up in your eyes.

“Eight…” your voice could barely be heard.

“Nine…”

“Ten…”

She stopped, and turned you over so that you could be facing her. In the midst of all the anger and lust her green irises projected, you could find a hint of appreciation in them.

With your legs spread a little wide around her waist, she removed her dressing gown, finally giving you access to a view of her beautiful body.

She untied your wrists.

Finally, you were free to touch her as you had so longed to do. She leaned over you, kissing you deeply and passionately, her lips lingering on yours before moving down to explore your jawline and neck. Her kisses were hot and intense, and you let small gasps of satisfaction as she trailed her lips and tongue over your skin.

But the pleasure didn't stop there. She descended on your breasts, licking and sucking your nipples with a fierce intensity that left you writhing with delight. As she mercilessly pinched one nipple, she ran her hot tongue over the other, alternating every once in a while.

And then you glanced at Natasha, watching from an armchair a few feet away, naked and touching herself as she watched the scene unfold. The sight of her only added to the intensity of the moment, as the wetness between your legs grew more intense.

Her lips pressed against your belly, leaving a trail of fiery kisses behind. As she moved lower, her mouth found the spot where you needed her the most, and her tongue sent electric waves of delectation throughout your body.

“Mmm… right- right there!” Your voice was unintentionally raspy, as you placed your legs on her shoulders and tangled your fingers in her hair, pushing her head slightly as you were grinding yourself shamelessly on her face. “Yes, Mommy!”

“Fuck…” Natasha’s voice made itself present, as her moans joined yours in a choir-like manner.

You watched her intently, noticing in awe as her long, drenched and shiny fingers were coming in and out of her cunt in an exquisite rhythm.

“Daddy’s about to cum,” Natasha groaned, as her movements increased.

The tension that had been building inside you was finally released, as you cried out Wanda’s name. You lost yourself in the sensations that only she could bring, and the wetness that had been building inside you was finally released in a rush of intense pleasure.

"Oh, my good girl," Wanda mused, and you subsequently noticed that Natasha had finished shortly after you.

She bent down again to clean up the mess she had made of you, but Natasha spoke up, "No, let me finish what I started," she got up from the chair, and walked over to you both.

She grabbed Wanda by her jawline and planted a deep kiss on her lips, so that Natasha could have a taste of you as well. She looked at you, "Malyshka, do you think your Mommy deserves a reward for pleasuring you?"

“Yes, Daddy,” you nodded, eager to accept with whatever was coming.

Wanda smiled widely, “So good for us. I told you, she’s a good girl,” she praised you.

She shifted, and carefully, knelt just above your face. She slowly dropped her full weight on you. You were able to taste her hot fluids in a matter of seconds, and you set to work on her.

You felt something new ramming your insides, and that made you tense in response. This was nothing like you had taken from Wanda before.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Natasha cooed sweetly. “Take what I give you, I promise it’s going to become your favorite thing.”

She firmly took your waist, her thumbs slightly squeezing your pelvis while she gradually buried herself deep inside you.

In response, you buried your nails deep on Wanda’s thighs, earning a small mumble from her. However, that didn’t stop you from eating her out, on the contrary, you were taking it out on her, which made her moan louder.

Natasha then found her pace, and you could hear the nasty sounds your wet cunt was making, which didn’t go unnoticed by both women either.

“Fuck, your little girl is taking me so good, Maximoff,” she exclaimed with pride.

“Mmm… I can tell! She’s taking it out on me,” Wanda panted.

Soon enough, Natasha increased her speed, and you let out muffled moans as your breath quickened. Just as she promised, it became your favorite thing, since your fluids were pouring out, and the fabric of the blanket was beginning to soak under you.

“I’m… I’m… so close!” Wanda exclaimed, whilst you were prevented from moaning, as she choked you with her inner thighs.

“You’ll wait for her,” Natasha commanded.

“Please… I don’t think I…-”

“You’ll wait for her,” Natasha reiterated.

You shut your eyes tight, the only sound that could be heard was Wanda’s slutty moans, and Natasha's pelvis crashing against your ass, creating that familiar obscene sound. Her movements were expertly timed, and her touch tantalizingly rough.

You eventually felt the coil in your lower abdomen losing itself for the second time, as you had just experienced yet another orgasm, this time with a new woman. Natasha had been eager to please you and had certainly succeeded in doing so.

Wanda did as Natasha ordered her, and just as you were finishing, Wanda climaxed, drenching your face with her own pleasure. The feeling of her warm juices all over you was both thrilling and satisfying.

Both redheads lay on either side of you. The room was humid, and you all had sweat trickling down your foreheads while some of your tousled hair sticked in there.

Wanda's fingers started caressing your scalp, "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry for not showing you how much I care about you. I've been so caught up in my own past that I didn't realize how much I was neglecting you. But that's going to change. From now on, I'm going to give you the love and attention that you deserve."

Hearing those words felt as if a long and arduous battle had finally come to an end, and all of the doubts and uncertainties that had been plaguing your mind were suddenly swept away. You finally could discard all the versions of yourself you had shown her for her to notice you, because for the first time, she had finally assured you that she loved you for you. You didn’t have to try that hard, not anymore. This was the start of something new, something beautiful.

You looked into Wanda's eyes, "Thank you, my witchy,” your tone came out more emotional than you intended to. But it didn’t matter, it was a moment of pure vulnerability and honesty, and it felt liberating to finally hear her say those words.

Natasha, who was also there, smiled and stroked both of your cheeks tenderly. "My beautiful girls," she said, "I hope we can meet again soon and continue to share these precious moments together."

That day, Wanda and you said goodbye to the visitors who had no idea what had happened upstairs, already very drunk and immersed in their conversations. After returning home, Wanda confessed to you that she had been intimate with Natasha Romanoff in previous occasions, but you didn’t blame her, that same night, you also felt a certain attraction growing within you. Therefore, you and Wanda agreed this wouldn’t be the first and last time you would be having encounters with Natasha.

And so, as the weeks went by, the three of you went on several dates, and created all kinds of memories. You enjoyed spontaneity at its fullest, no expectations, and overall, you felt special and loved by both women, who made you feel noticed and appreciated.

It didn’t take long for your love for them to grow, and you cherished every moment you spent together.

Looking back on that night, it felt like the world was about to end. Little did you know that it was actually starting.

#wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximommy #wanda maximoff x you #natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x you #wandanat #wanda x natasha #wandanat x reader

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hausbabylon · 8 months

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I have been obsessed with Sister Mary Eunice lately maybe you could write about reader and Sister Mary Eunice being childhood friends and then they met again and she is already practicing being a nun or sum'n. Forbidden love of sort?

rise of devotion

Sister Mary Eunice x Reader

Word count: 7,565

A/N: AAAHHH! Thank you for your request! I have always looked forward to write something related to my beloved Lily Rabe 💘 Sorry it took so long.

A/N II: I would like to clarify that I wrote this based 100% on the approach given to the concept of the "Devil" in AHS: Asylum. Therefore, my interpretations are purely for fictional purposes. Personally, I don't believe in a "devil" or a "God," but I do believe in the existence of various positive and negative forces that affect our world in mysterious ways, so I also wanted to offer that possibility in the story.

Warnings: Irreverence, mention of caning, devil possession, humiliation, exorcism, happy ending though!

Upon an unexpected reencounter, you and Sister Mary Eunice develop a forbidden connection.

By choosing to study psychiatry, you embarked on a path that definitely contradicted long-standing religious doctrines. People who used to greet you cheerfully and welcome you into their homes for a cup of tea now whispered and gave you disapproving looks, for your choice to delve into the complexities of the human mind through scientific standpoint was seen as a direct challenge to their faith-based understanding of mental health.

And above all, even your own family wondered why did you turn your back on God and defy the plans they had for you? You were supposed to find a good husband, get married and devote yourself to being the best housewife you could be... or else become a nun to serve God for the rest of your days.

In spite of everything, the town of Framingham was your home. You couldn't deny that it had its charm, such as Mr. and Mrs. Bowery's coffee shop, where you were served multiple cups of chocolate while the couple watched you spend countless hours at the same table, reading exaggeratedly thick books. Or, visiting the home of the few friends you counted on, those friends who also swam against the current and somehow it seemed like it was them and you against the world.

You always believed that the only opposition you were willing to put up with, would come from your own family. You assumed that when it came to matters of the heart, you would naturally be drawn to someone who shared your ideals, if not surpassed them. Little did you know that one day, you would reencounter a person who was your polar opposite.

As you sat in the coffee shop's tables, you submerged yourself in the pages of the DSM-I. If it wasn't because you took a pause to take another sip of your chocolate, you wouldn't have noticed someone's intense gaze fixed upon you. It was as if the weight of their stare could pierce through your very being. Initially, you dismissed it and continued reading, attempting to brush off the discomfort that grew within you.

But then, the line was crossed when the person who had been observing you boldly decided to approach you.

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5," her raspy voice came through.

"So nice that your faith provides solace and guidance for you," you replied, without even looking up.

"The Lord undertakes to save all those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 says so," she insisted.

"I'm of the idea that science doesn't always have to fight with religion, but if you consider my field a threat to your unsubstantiated beliefs, I suggest you keep it to yourself, and don't bother me," you countered, and without being able to prevent it, you could notice yourself adopting a tone of irritation.

"You're neglecting the power of prayer and the healing it can bring to troubled souls. God's love is boundless, and it can provide true salvation," she replied.

The persistence of the woman who kept on imposing her religious views started to wear thin on your patience, so you closed your book and looked up in her direction, intending to firmly demand her to leave you alone.

Your eyes were first drawn to her attire, the unmistakable indication that she was a nun. It pretty much explained her intrusion. However, when your eyes locked with hers, your breath seemed to be caught in your chest.

Never before had you encountered eyes so captivatingly blue, and the perfect contrast of her golden hair, slightly peeking out from beneath her habit, and those lips, full and adorned with a delicate shade of pink. In that fleeting moment, your frustration and impatience were momentarily forgotten, overpowered by the undeniable attraction that she had awakened.

"You always reproached your parents for taking you to church, and you were never satisfied with God-related explanations in the face of certain phenomena," she commented, this time with a smile adorning her face. "I should have known you would end up like this, (Y/N)."

You frowned for a moment, but then, your eyes widened as you realized who was standing in front of you.

"Mary Eunice!" You exclaimed, nostalgia and disbelief evident in your tone.

Her smile grew wider as she heard you call out her name in recognition. The memories of your childhood friendship replayed back in your mind.

"It's been such a long time," she breathed out. "The last I heard, you had left town, and it's been..."

"Eight long years," you interjected, a proud smile forming on your lips. "I returned just a week ago. The welcoming nature from people was quite interesting, to say the least. But yours wins the first place," you added, subtly alluding to the judgment you were a victim of ever since you arrived, including hers.

"Well, I had to surprise you in a way," she shrugged.

"A 'hello' would have worked. That's the traditional way to approach someone," you replied, and gestured for her to sit in the chair across from you.

"Look who's talking about tradition," she laughed, sitting down across from you.

You raised your arms, letting her know she had caught you there, "Guilty."

She let out a laugh, and you found yourself immersed in appreciating how her nose wrinkled and lovely dimples formed in her cheeks. Old feelings were rising from within your heart, as if time had never passed for neither of you.

You immediately recalled a time where you were still a child, and innocently seeking guidance, you turned to your parents, questioning why you couldn't marry your best friend Mary Eunice when you both grew up.

Their response, explaining that marriage was based on mutual attraction and love between a man and a woman, only increased your confusion, which was eventually clarified during your teenage and adult years, filled with discovery and a long journey of acceptance.

To your young heart, the idea of loving someone simply due to a deep connection and admiration seemed perfectly natural. The limitations imposed on love perplexed you then, and even as an adult, the question lingered in your mind. Why should societal expectations dictate who you can and cannot love?

"I came to this place with the intention of finding you," she confessed, after going over in her mind how to tell you. "It took asking a few people, and they all said there was a high probability you were here."

As much as you wanted to avoid it, a blush formed on your cheeks, extremely flattered at the idea that Mary Eunice intended to meet you again.

"Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Bowery really know how to make a place cozy," you agreed, laughing lightly. "Any particular reason?"

She shook her head, "My father passed away a few months ago. When I went to visit my home, my mother and I looked through old pictures, and there were several ones of me and you. It made me realize how much our friendship meant to me back then," she continued, taking a deep breath as she looked at me with her blue eyes filled with nostalgia. "When I heard you returned and opened your practice here, I felt... like it was a sign from our Lord."

You were transported back to the early years of your childhood. Mary Eunice, the girl who moved into the house across the street when you were only five years old. Your parents visited her family's new home, and she eagerly invited you to show you her enchanting dollhouse. As simple as that, a friendship blossomed for six years.

Sooner or later, life would lead you down different ways, as Mary Eunice's family relocated to the other end of town, and in consequence, the distance between you grew both geographically and emotionally, for her parents decided you were not a good influence on her, therefore you were forbidden to visit her.

The once-unbreakable bond began to fade into a distant memory, until she decided to tease you with Bible verses in a coffee shop when you were all grown up with very different chosen life paths.

"I'm glad you sought me out," you admitted sincerely. "I'm sorry for your loss. If you ever need to share your feelings, I'll be more than happy to offer you a shoulder to cry on."

"Thank you. Your kindness means more to me than words can express. I have found strength in prayer during these difficult times, and God has listened to me," a smile softly graced her lips, as her eyes brightened in appreciation.

Even if you didn't share the same strong beliefs as Mary Eunice, you always respected the power of faith and how it could provide comfort in certain individuals during times of hardship. If her faith in God gave her strength and helped her cope better with the unavoidable adversities of life, then you were glad she had that refuge.

You placed your hand over hers and you offered a reassuring squeeze, a silent gesture of understanding and support.

As your conversation continued, one piece at a time, you and Mary Eunice shared every detail of your lives, starting at age eleven, when circumstances forced you apart. You listened closely to her describe her journey as a nun, as it was the aspect of her life that made her the most proud.

"I felt a calling deep within my heart, urging me to dedicate my life to serving others and living a life of devotion. I knew becoming a nun was my path to fulfill that calling," she took a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. "After much contemplation and prayer, I joined the order and then, the path led me to Briarcliff Manor, where I believed I could offer hope and healing to those in need."

"It's truly remarkable," you found yourself saying, your admiration towards her palpable in every syllable. "To have such a deep calling and to summon the courage to follow it through. It takes a lot of strength."

***

"Science cannot explain the evil that resides in this patient's soul. You're chasing shadows and ignoring the true path to salvation," Sister Jude retorted, throwing the patient's files at you in a dismissive manner.

It would have taken much less than that for you to grab your things and leave, except that Mary Eunice gave you a look that completely melted you. A look that denoted all the hope she had for you.

Two months had passed since your reunion with Mary Eunice. From time to time, you both would meet in the park or take walks around town. It wasn't until a week ago that she asked you to visit Briarcliff Manor to examine a patient who was clearly showing signs of schizophrenia.

There were many people with various conditions, of course, but this one, specifically, had to be put in solitary confinement after assaulting a guard.

"Um, excuse me, Sister Jude, but Dr. (Y/L/N) has, uh, dedicated to the study of the human mind," Mary Eunice interjected. "We may have different perspectives, but we share the commitment to helping others."

Both you and Sister Jude made no effort to hide your puzzlement. Mary Eunice was not the type to contradict others, much less someone as imposing as Jude Martin. You could only hope she didn't get caning after that.

Because you knew, no matter how much your dear friend wanted to hide it.

"Sister Mary, don't be fooled by this world of sin and deception," Jude responded as soon as she recomposed herself. "Your duty is to God, and so is mine. We must protect this institution from outside influences," she gave you another contemptuous glance, which caused you to roll your eyes.

"I understand, Sister Jude, but I also believe that God works in mysterious ways," Mary Eunice said, as if she had expected Jude’s response and had rehearsed her answer beforehand. "Perhaps Dr. (Y/L/N) was brought here for, uh, a reason. Let us not dismiss the possibility of divine guidance."

Sister Jude's expression softened, for the very first time ever, and she sighed.

"Remember, Dr. (Y/L/N), don't let your scientific pursuits lead you astray from the path of righteousness," she established, and headed to leave the room.

You smiled in amazement, and Mary Eunice mimicked your action, then let out a satisfied laugh. That allowed you to appreciate her beautiful dimples that added even more charm to her smile.

"What was that, Mary Eunice?!" you exclaimed, and walked over to her with your chair to sit next to her.

"I don't know," she said, looking just as surprised as you and Sister Jude. "I know how brilliant you are and... I just couldn't let her discredit you like that."

"I'm proud of you, but more than that, I'm grateful," you replied, taking her hands in yours. Her hands felt warm as always, and on her sleeves, you could notice traces of flour, an indicator that she may have been baking bread before this meeting.

"It's nothing," she shrugged, and looked into your eyes. You watched her blue orbs for a moment, and suddenly, you were in another world in just a second.

"It's everything," was all you could say. "It was for me."

She smiled slightly, and looked down. That caused you to grab her chin and cause her to look up at you.

"Thank you," you spoke again.

She nodded, "Sure, it was my pleasure, I mean..." she chuckled. "I have faith in these patients, and I couldn't imagine a better person for this task with Allan, not even the Monsignor."

You opened your eyes in surprise and let out a gasp.

"You don't know how much your words mean to me," you replied. "I promise I will give him the best of treatment."

"I know you will," she replied, rising from her seat. "I have to... go check on that bread I left baking, and I guess you have to get home."

You nodded slowly.

"Yes, I do," you sighed, rising from your chair as well.

"I'll see you around then, partner," she teased.

Mary Eunice never hesitated to give you a heartwarming hug whenever she bid you farewell.

You loved her hugs, because she was a tall woman, and with the heels she wore, she was even taller, so you always ended up being wrapped in her arms and could easily lay your head on her shoulder.

And this occasion specifically, you couldn't forget it. That memory would follow you into the grave, you knew.

When she reluctantly pulled apart, your faces unintentionally remained mere inches apart. You stared at her lips, believing that would be the only thing you could afford to do.

However, she was the first to make a move, it seemed that today she decided to take risks, and do everything that, perhaps, deep down, she wanted to do and never had the courage to do it.

You lips responded to the tender pressure, and her fingers were trembling as they touched your cheek before she drew back. The kiss lasted about five seconds, but in that moment, you corroborated the relativity of time, because for you, they were the most beautiful and eternal five seconds you ever experienced.

"Are you free tonight?" She whispered against your lips. You nodded in response. "Good, meet me at 10 p.m., at the secret spot I talked to you about, you remember?"

You nodded again.

A tender and forbidden connection blossomed between Sister Mary Eunice and you that day, something that you thought would only happened in your wildest dreams, was taking place. There were stolen moments that ignited a fire in your hearts, and they became a routine.

If Mary Eunice snuck out from Briarcliff to go to your apartment, she made sure to return extremely early, and if questioned, she always made sure to buy something at the market or bakery, and explained to Sister Jude that she got up early to go get the item in question.

And when you snuck into Briarcliff through the secret entrance that Mary knew about, you had to watch yourself as you left her room and slipped through the corridors so as not to be seen.

"I didn't see you come in," Sister Jude once remarked, maintaining that suspicious and accusatory demeanor you were so used to that you were not intimidated even if you were now actually committing illicit acts of some sort. "You're too early."

"Yes, I am indeed early," one thing you loved about being a psychiatrist, was that you had an uncanny ability to lie if you wanted to. They taught it to you so you learned how to detect it, not how to employ it, but well... "It's just, they're repairing water leaks in my building, so my washing machine isn't working. I was wondering if I could wash my clothes here."

You showed her the small bag of clothes in your hands, which contained the nightgown you used during the previous night inside the place.

Every time you snuck into Briarcliff, you brought a change of clothes to change into the next day, because you foresaw that eventually Sister Jude would discover you prowling the halls, and if she saw you in a nightgown, that would ruin everything.

She snatched said bag from you, and arched an eyebrow. "Just a nightgown?" She questioned.

You shrugged. "I didn't want to risk carrying a bag full of clothes, in case you refuse," you explained. "This is the only nightgown I need, in case they take a the whole day to fix the leak."

She nodded, and took the bag with her.

"No way! And did she really wash your nightgown?" Mary exclaimed, laughing, letting you see those dimples you were so crazy about.

You just laughed, which confirmed her question.

The evening of that same day, Mary was at your apartment. You were lying on her chest, and you could hear her heart beating, while her long fingers were massaging your scalp in circular motions.

"Do you know how much I love that intelligence of yours?" She asked, and took your chin delicately so you would look up at her. "Maybe it's wrong that I found it extremely attractive that you were so good at lying," she added, as she let out a giggle. You giggled alongside her.

Her fingers traced the contours of your face, and her mood seemed to change slightly. "And you know what else is wrong?" She whispered. "How much I want to kiss you right now."

You eagerly closed the distance between you both. Your lips met in a very passionate kiss, and you didn’t know how, but every single one that you shared managed to be better than the last one, and it never failed.

"Am I good at it?" She spoke when she pulled apart.

You frowned.

"Good at what?"

"Kissing. I just... I wonder if I'm any good at it. I've never had the chance to... practice," she avoided your gaze when she asked.

Your heart swelled with a tenderness that only she could evoke.

"Aww, my love," you exclaimed, pouting. "Your kisses are the best, not just because they’re so addictive, but also because they come from you," you said, as you booped the tip of her nose with your index finger. She wrinkled her nose as she smiled.

Life felt like a dream whenever you and Mary were immersed in the little world you created. Part of you wished you could display your affection like other couples, stealing kisses at the movies, holding hands while taking a walk in the moonlit streets, or taking those pictures in a photo booth, but you cherished your encounters with her, no matter if the places where you could have them was limited to two.

Three months have passed since that first kiss you shared. Until one day, you dressed up carefully, wearing what Mary had said was her favorite dress. You chose a new pair of shoes to add a different touch to the outfit that you hoped she would like.

She entered the office you occupied whenever you visited the place. She seemed to notice every single detail of what you were wearing as you rose from your seat.

But just as your lips were mere inches apart from hers, she spoke, "This is wrong," she stammered, her voice trembling.

"What's wrong?" You asked gently.

"I've been thinking... about us. About what we're doing," she murmured, avoiding your gaze at all times. "It's not... appropriate," she confessed, her words filled with guilt and sadness. "I've been thinking about my role as a nun, about my commitment to God and the vows I've taken. What we're doing... it goes against that. I'm betraying my faith."

And it felt like reality hit you for the very first time, and you realized that it was naive to think that this thing you had with Mary would last forever. It couldn’t, it simply couldn’t.

You reached out and gently cupped Mary's cheek, looking into her eyes with understanding.

"Mary, listen to me," you urged, you were desperate for her not to regret the precious moment you shared. "You know I respect your beliefs, but they are subduing and suffocating you," you harshly snapped, and she denied with her head quickly, as tears formed in her eyes. "Yes, Mary, The Bible can be interpreted in many ways. Love is a beautiful thing, and it's not something to be punished for."

"But it's a mental illness," she whispered, her voice heavy with guilt. "We're both wrong, according to our respective paths."

You shook your head gently, a reassuring smile on your lips. "Darling, you trust my experience, right? It might be considered so, but it's not. Love is a natural emotion, and it's not something to be ashamed of."

Mary cried even more, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"But it's forbidden," she choked out. "This desire is my burden to bear."

"You're not alone in this struggle," you replied, sadly. "We can… rewrite our own destinies, be pioneers of our own love story. Please, Mary, don’t regret this,” you pleaded, as you surrounded her waist with your arms. You really wouldn’t be able to bear the pain if she ever punished herself for what she had done.

But she pulled you away, and she shook her head, signaling you that she indeed would hate herself for something so innocent as the kisses you shared.

She stepped out of the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click. You were left standing there, your heart heavy with several what if’s crossing your mind. What if, instead of staring at her lips, you simply pulled away from the hug like you always did? What if you didn’t hug her in the first place that day?

Because if only one of those options had happened, Mary Eunice would not have turned away from you. And the worry gnawed at you.

Likewise, every time you visited the institution in order to follow up with your assigned patient, you stayed a little longer and slipped through the corridors in the hope of running into her. Little did you know, however, that she intentionally locked in her room so as not to see you.

Days and weeks passed, until one day, she was shamelessly walking around with her head held high. She seemed to have had enough of hiding, and her demeanor somehow urged you to be the one to hide instead.

"Mary," you said, unable to help your smile.

It is well said that sometimes, by letting go of something you desire, you are bringing it closer to its arrival. Because, you stopped looking for her desperately as before about three weeks ago, and almost miraculously, she was right in front of you.

"Doctor," she said, with an arrogant air that you could detect with just one word.

You walked besides her in silence, waiting for her to say something, but not a single word came out. She even seemed to be walking alone and you simply followed her like a puppy. Somehow, you discovered that she was very aware of that fact, and it amused her.

You confirmed it when she indeed gave you a quick glance and scoffed mockingly.

"Uhm... how have you been?" you couldn't think of anything else to get the conversation flowing. It was almost pathetic.

"Wonderful," she said with a smile. Finally, you ended up at the door to her room.

You gave her a questioning look, asking her in a roundabout way if she wanted you to come in with her, or if she wanted you get the hell out.

You opted for the first option, and she didn't object at all. In fact, you would have preferred her to at least kick you out or insult you, something... just something that didn't show the cold disdain with which she was treating you.

"Mary, I... I understand that you might consider me a bad influence, for having somehow 'tempted' you to kiss you..." you paused, not knowing how to concretize the sentence you spent so much time going over for when you had her in front of you.

You put yourself in her shoes, maybe she considered you some sort of temptation and she hated herself for succumbing to it.

A sly smile curled upon her lips, as she responded, "Bad influence? Temptation?" She laughed, her tone filled with a mockery that was starting to make you feel irritated. "You do think I regret that?" She moved closer, her body language becoming subtly more alluring as she leaned in. "Regrets are a human quality, everyone has them. And as you can see," she gestured to herself with a sweep of her hand, "I'm far beyond such trivial concerns now."

You felt a tight knot forming in your throat, as you felt an unbearable regret take over your mind with every word spilled from the woman’s mouth. This was not the Mary you knew, the one whose innocence and kindness defined her character. What have you done? Had you participated in whatever event had led to this.

You had no time to answer, or even to organize your thoughts, when she led you to her bed and gently pushed you to sit down.

"Mary..." you tried to formulate.

"Shhhhh..." she put a finger over your lips. "I'm sick, sick of being me."

She began to remove the habit covering her head, revealing her silky blond hair. It seemed that was enough to stop your thoughts for a moment, so you could appreciate how beautiful she looked with her loose hair flying down in waves to just below her shoulders.

She seemed to notice, because the expression of victory on her face seemed to say more than a thousand words. It seemed that the power she had over you gave her strength to go through with whatever her plans with you were.

"Mary, I understand that you are tired of all the abuse you have experienced here and I am glad that you do not regret our… affair. In fact, I commend you for putting an end to it," you began, looking up. The fact that you were sitting and she was standing did not help your situation at all, as she towered over you, almost as if you were somehow assuring her that she was superior to you. Immediately you realized that and stood up, which made you feel slightly better, although the height difference was always considerable. "But you don’t have to go the other extreme. This, is not you."

She clenched her jaw together, making you sit down again.

"How adorable that you think you can understand me, that you believe you can see through to the heart of the matter," her fingers trailed lightly over the edge of your jawline, her presence being incredibly intoxicating. As much as you tried to remain strong, you unavoidably melted at her touch. "What's happening here goes far beyond your textbooks and analysis."

"I just know you hit rock bottom," you whispered, as soon as your faces were only inches apart, just like that one time. "And this is you rebelling yourself. Like a teenager."

Her blue eyes redirected to your lips, and ascended again to your eyes. The latter indicated that she decided not to lean in and kiss you just as she did weeks ago, but the reason was quite different.

“But it's hopeless, don't you think? You, a rational psychiatrist, and me, a devoted servant of God. Such a love story is laughable," she replied.

There you realized, she wanted you to beg for it, convince her that you were meant to be together despite the circumstances that seemed incredibly inconvenient for both of you.

"I know, and I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never expected to feel this way about…" you started.

"Oh, spare me the cheap excuses," she interrupted you. "Don't try and justify what you desire, what we both desire. It's only natural.”

You didn't know why, but that answer didn't give you any peace of mind. Yes, Mary may have decided to accept the fact that she was attracted to you, which would have thrilled you. But something didn't seem right. Something wasn't right.

And you confirmed it when, at your lack of response, she began to shed the rest of her attire, slowly revealing a red baby doll she was wearing underneath.

Your pulse quickened, and your eyes widened in such a way that you felt like they were going to shoot out of your skull.

It all happened so fast, or maybe it seemed that way since you were so immersed in a mental battle where you were searching for how to cope with this situation.

"Mary, don’t," you exclaimed, grabbing the top of her tunic, which was resting on her elbows. "I understand that you're feeling some sort of adrenaline rush right now, but when this expires, you'll realize what crazy things you're doing," you said, as you tried and placed the tunic back on its place.

"Don't be a prude now," she spat, grabbing your wrists to stop you from touching her. The force with which she did so made you protest in pain. "I'm finally giving you a chance to fulfill those fantasies of yours, or what? Are you going to deny to me what you’ve done? You're a dirty whore," she screamed the last part. "Whenever we saw each other, the first thing you did after when you were alone again was go and pleasure yourself, imagining it was me fucking you hard right there. You're a sick woman, doctor. Maybe I should lock you in this place too."

You had no idea what to say. It was true what she said, but how did she know? Was she watching you? Or was it all just mere deduction?

The only thing you were sure of, was that you felt attacked, accused, pointed out, so it was only a matter of seconds before the palm of your hand hit hard against her cheek. It was with such force and rage, that your hand burned and began to tingle.

The next thing, left you completely shocked.

For a brief second, her gaze softened, subsequently showed puzzlement. Lastly, she started breathing heavily, almost having a panic attack.

"(Y/N)! I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to tell you all that! I just..." but she didn't continue, instead, she took a deep breath, and her gaze hardened again. "Ah, actually, I did want to, but as usual, I'm too weak of character to tell people their truths."

Not willing to waste any more time, you immediately retreated from the place as quickly as you could, and the last thing you heard was a loud mocking laugh from Mary.

Although you were drowning in nerves, and many things you could not explain, you were relieved, for that last incident made you conclude that Mary was suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder. It was more than obvious.

However, you couldn't explain how Mary seemed to be aware of what she was doing. Generally, the individual tends not to remember their actions during the dissociative state. You also couldn't explain how she knew what you were doing after seeing her, when there was no way for her to discover you.

The most logical thing was that perhaps this was a case of partial amnesia, and as for the latter, perhaps a person overheard you on one occasion and it happened to reach your friend's ears. Your neighbors were not the most discreet and the walls of the building you lived in were not the thickest ones either.

This led you to a mission, which was to understand her traumatic history and uncover the root causes of the disorder.

***

"Can I talk to Mary, please? Who am I talking to right now?"

It has been about one week ever since you last stepped into Briarcliff, and now you had a new case to address.

Sister Jude swore this was demonic possession, but you did nothing but laugh in her face and dismiss her foolish hypothesis. But you understood why she believed it, for the answer Mary gave you could give rise to such interpretations.

"You can call me whatever you like. Some call me the devil, others call me Satan," she replied, with that same tone of vanity that you had to face the last time you saw her.

"I see," you nodded, looking directly into her eyes. "And according to what I recall, you do what Mary doesn't have the courage to do, in order to protect her."

"Oh, Doctor, you misunderstand. I'm not here to protect Mary," she countered. "I'm here to embrace the darkness within her, to unleash the desires she represses, and to revel in the power I bring. I'm not a protector, I am the one who will vanish her.”

You were taken aback by that statement. This was indeed a strange case, and perhaps Mary hated herself a little too much more than you thought.

"Oh, and what desires could they be, that she's repressing?" You tried your best not to show any sign of surprise. But something deep down within you was alert, something that warned you that she could sense any feeling anyway, no matter how hard you tried to hide it.

"The longing she feels for you, the desire to be close to you, to hold you, to kiss you," she explained, as if what you asked was the simplest question to answer. "The desire to take revenge on her 'friends' for humiliating her in the swimming pool that day, or that desire she has to beat Sister Jude to death with the same canes with which she punishes her," she continued. "No matter how much she has gone to confess her sins, or how many Our Fathers she has recited, she knows very well that all that will not leave her mind."

Mary was a noble soul, too noble that it was almost infuriating when it came to certain things like letting others take advantage of it… so this all made more and more sense to you.

"Oh, I... I understand," you sighed. "Well, I would like to talk to Mary. I want her to tell me how she feels," I insisted. "I can help her understand those feelings."

"I’m afraid she slumbers now, resting peacefully while I take the reins," she refused. "But, I bet you know, Doctor."

"I know," you affirmed. "From school to her everyday life in Briarcliff, she has faced such hostility and mistreatment. No wonder she developed these dissociative identities as a way to cope."

"I like to feed on those who are weak in spirit," she replied. "Even if she refuses to accept it, I am a shield against the pain and shame she couldn't bear to face. But it seems you're starting to understand her struggles, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," you answered simply. "Thanks for everything… Satan," you scoffed in amusement a little when calling her by that name.

Normally, with your other patients, you observed at least a slight process after a few weeks, but Mary Eunice's case, which at first seemed so easy to understand, was now the one that frustrated you the most.

You asked Mary's acquaintances, she never presented dissociations, nor behavioral changes, nor any symptoms of Multiple Personality Disorder. Not in her childhood, not in her adolescence, and certainly not in adulthood.

No matter what method or technique you used, you always left the room feeling humiliated and you could even say like a failure.

You never backed down from a challenge, and no matter how complex they were, you were confident in your abilities and understood that you were a human being, not some sort of all-powerful being who solved everything with a magic wand. However, seeing how the Mary you knew was fading more and more, made you hate yourself for not being one.

You reached a point of despair, where you never thought you would find yourself. You began to consider the —previously ridiculous— statements of Sister Jude and the Monsignor.

And this only gave rise to more questions.

If he was the devil, why did he allow me to question him as if he were really a personality invented by Mary? Why didn't he bother to prove to me the veracity of his existence, if he knew full well of my skepticism.

"That's what he wants," the Monsignor assured me. "He wants you not to believe he exists, so you give up, to doubt yourself and weaken your spirit."

You said it yourself. Religion did not have to fight with science.

There were certain phenomena that you couldn't explain to yourself, like that gut feeling that knew before you what was happening. You felt exposed even when you swore it was nothing more than a personality Mary had created... there was always something that made you feel this was something more.

And so, you were inside Mary’s dimly lit room. You never thought your presence would be approved for a ritual such as an exorcism, but the Monsignor said you were maybe the closest thing to a loved one Mary had. How could you ever refuse, if that was the case? You were more than moved.

You stood on the one side of the bed, listening to the Priest’s strong prayers, as you held a small crucifix in one hand and a vial of blessed water in the other. The demon that had taken hold of her seemed to mockingly glance through her eyes.

At the Priest’s signal, you took a deep breath, and addressed her, your voice firm yet filled with tenderness. "Mary, I want you to remember the moments we shared when we were kids. Remember when we went to the Bowerys’ bakery and they let us help them with the morning bread to sell? We were covered in flour," you chuckled softly, your voice occasionally trembling as tears welled up in your eyes. "We can share more of these memories together, if you keep fighting. I promise you won’t have to step into Briarcliff ever again, in fact, Lana Winters just got out of here, she will expose this place, burn it to the ground. I want us to celebrate that victory, Mary, please," you were pleading at this point. It was evident there was a desperate longing to break through her sorrow and reach the true Mary Eunice buried deep inside.

“I’m tired of fighting," you finally heard her voice, and you opened your eyes that were previously shut down as you sobbed. She was also sobbing desperately. "I want to rest."

"You are not your thoughts," you continued, speaking as firmly as you could. "You are not your hurtful experiences. You are not the sum of the pain they've caused."

Mary let out a small gasp, and a hint of a glimmer appeared in her eyes as a few tears escaped.

The Priest continued reciting his prayers, as strongly as he could. You, at the same time, recounted stories of your shared childhood, of the joy and comfort you brought to each other's lives.

While the Priest was in charge of expelling the demon inside her, you were in charge of helping Mary rise from among the darkness.

"Remember when we mowed the neighbors’ lawns? And with the money we earned, we went to the movies, and stuffed ourselves with food?" You continued. "Remember how we had a sugar rush and played Tag, you’re it at the back of my house for three hours straight? Remember how you screamed in the middle of the backyard it was the best day of your life? I do, it was the best day of my life as well," you wiped a few tears with the back of your sleeve, as you watched her scream desperately, and even though it pained you like a million stabs to see her in such a state, you were now sure she refused to give up now.

"Even though we parted ways, I got nothing but well wishes for you," you concluded. "And I’m never leaving again, never without you. It's never too late to come back to my side," you poured your heart into the words.

And then, in a moment that seemed to stretch beyond time itself, you saw it, a flicker of recognition, a spark of the person you knew and loved.

At the Priest’s sign, you raised the crucifix and splashed a few drops of holy water onto Mary Eunice. You repeated several words of encouragement, and the Priest repeated his prayers.

Her body tensed, a guttural sound escaping her lips. The demon's resistance was palpable, but you held your ground, the faith and love in your heart was what predominated every second.

"Mary, you are so close!" You urged. "You are stronger than this. You are one of the bravest, if not the bravest soul in this world!"

Her body arched, with a strangled cry piercing the air. And then, as abruptly as it had started, it was over.

It was over…

Mary’s once yellowish eyes cleared as if a veil had been lifted, bringing the beautiful ocean blue back to her irises.

She looked at you.

"Is that... you?" She whispered, the disbelief was noticeable in her face. But you knew, she was a warrior, and deep down she always knew as well, not for nothing she remained as kind as ever despite her unpleasant experiences.

With tears streaming down your face, you nodded. "Yes, Mary. It's me."

***

In the cozy cottage located on the outskirts of town, tranquility was the main thing that could be breathed in the air.

A year and a half had passed. Away from the now shut down Briarcliff, Mary Eunice decided to resign as a nun and take an indefinite break after the exhaustive event that had been her life. The journey had been one of pure healing, growth, and rediscovery for both of you, specially for your partner. But that was what you were there for, wasn’t it?

The sun generated warm rays across the kitchen where you stood. You were placing candles on a cake you took out from the fridge, which was adorned with frosting flowers. You woke up very early, and baked it yourself, with the help of the Bowerys through the other line of the telephone, of course, and it turned out better than you expected.

With the candles lit over the cake, you made your way to the small dining area, where Mary was taking the last bites of the pancakes you made her. Those were her favorites, you certainly had to make them for her on this special day.

"Happy birthday to you," you started singing. She looked up and her eyes lit with thrill, immediately, a wide grin spread all over her face. "Happy birthday, dear Mary. Happy birthday to you!"

Blowing out the candles, she turned to you with an appreciative expression in her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly.

You leaned in, expecting a gentle kiss, but Mary surprised you by pulling you close, her lips meeting yours with a desire that caught you off guard, and left you breathless.

"Oh wow, is it your birthday or mine?" you teased her playfully.

She laughed, and it always made you feel like you won a contest. "Well, does it matter? Every day feels like a celebration with you, the only difference, today I get a cake!"

You chuckled, and nodded in agreement, as you quickly went back to the kitchen and grabbed a knife to cut the cake you had prepared with too much love for your beloved Mary Eunice.

The simple act of sharing a slice of cake felt insignificant to others, but only you knew how much struggle and resilience it had taken for this simple event to take place. And the awareness of that simple fact, was that made every day as special as this one, as your girlfriend said.

#sister mary eunice #mary eunice #mary eunice x reader #ahs asylum #american horror story #lily rabe #ahsfx #love and death

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hausbabylon · 10 months

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treacherous

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Word count: 6,994

A/N: Hey! I received an anonymous request, but I accidentally deleted the draft where I directly responded it. The request said pretty much what says in the synopsis. Thanks to whoever sent it, made me happy <3! I hope you like it.

A/N II: Also, it’s 3:27 AM and I wrote this half asleep whilst listening Red TV three times in a row.

Warnings: Unspecified legal age gap (Natasha is older), mention of guns, manipulation, intrafamiliar abuse, trust issues.

Natasha Romanoff struggled with trust issues due to past relationships. Her fear of being hurt overshadowed any chance to open herself up to the possibility of a relationship. That was, of course, until she met you.

Hydra was a group of evil masterminds with a mission to take over the world, employing advanced technology and weapons to achieve said objective.

It hurt you too much to even think about the fact that you were part of it all, for ever since you were incredibly young, you were the victim of experiments and ruthless training to basically turn you into another of their deadly weapons.

You were just a little one, desperate to get your adoptive father's approval, and deep down, you still were, despite the fact that you were a young adult now. However, no matter how hard you tried, he always seemed disappointed in you, and you were willing to do anything to make him proud.

That's what you thought, of course, until you couldn't take it anymore. So much spilled blood, uncountable innocent lives lost, all in the name of greed and evil. You switched sides, and betrayed the organization you once called home.

You didn't know how many hours you spent hiding in one of the lockers from the Hydra facility that was attacked by the Avengers, while you listened to the tragedy happen outside this cold little compartment. You were supposed to be the main counter-attacker, and you were expected to kill at least one of them in order for the others to back off for a few months.

However, it was too much. As you fought them, the dilemma you found yourself in was too much to bear; you wanted to make your adoptive father proud, but you also wanted them to win because you repudiated every aspect that made up the twisted organization which you were unfortunately a part of.

So, as you walked down the corridors to attack one of them, you simply stopped dead in your tracks and went to hide instead. Until you heard nothing, only a silence that was somehow deafening, while intrigue kept eating you out - had good won over evil again?

When you kicked the door of the locker so you could get out, the first sight you encountered was the Black Widow, who got startled when she saw you and immediately pointed a gun at you. Your first instinct was to raise your arms.

Your face was streaked with tears, for you had sobbed desperately, fearing what your father would do when he found out you had failed this mission, but you were also drowning in shame for your actions.

And you didn't need to say anything, Natasha knew everything as soon as she saw you in that disconsolate and defeated state. You didn't want to do any of this, you desperately wanted to be good.

The Avengers welcomed you with open arms, and as you stood beside them, fighting for what was right, you finally felt you were part of a family, where your efforts were seen and appreciated, something you never felt with Hydra.

"I know these brutal injuries are a little bit of a scratch for you, but..."

"But it worries you when I go on missions that involve more than big men fighting me," Natasha finished the sentence before you could, a huge grin plastered from ear to ear.

You just chuckled, as you carefully worked to heal those terrible wounds on her face, product of a more complex mission than usual.

"Come on! Who knows if that creature that hurt you might give you some disease from the outer-space microbes it had in its claws. It could get infected and you could start a new pandemic, you know?" You half-joked.ñ

Natasha let out a loud laugh, that could be perhaps be heard all over facility.

"Well, look on the bright side, maybe I'll get to be the one to name it," she chuckled, and she flinched subsequently, her wounds hurt due to her smiling-facial expression.

"Silly!" You playfully nudged her shoulder with your fist, as you kept smiling enormously. "Jokes aside, please promise me you'll keep those wounds clean. You'll apply this," you showed her a small container of antiseptic soap, "And after that, you must apply this as well," you showed her a spray of alcohol.

She never told you this at first, but she appreciated enormously that you cared for her in this way, and that, on top of that, you were always willing to look after her as if she wasn't used to risking her life in all sorts of places.

The older woman nodded and laughed a little. "Of course, I'll make sure to clean the wounds and apply those, it's not too bad really. Don't worry yourself, okay?" She smiled kindly and warmly at you.

"Perfect... I'll let you off, then," you replied, with a grin. "Go get some rest, and I'll see you again when..." you paused. "I'll see you again," you affirmed this time.

You didn't know when you would see her again.

You had a very simple mission, so simple that you didn't need to go out and take risks as you normally did. You just needed to find information, leak some documents, hack into certain bases, and you could do it all from the comfort of the Avengers Tower. You were almost done when Natasha returned from her mission with the rest of the Avengers, and you insisted in helping her with all those wounds she had in her face, which again, were not something new for any of you, but still... you hated to see her even in the slightest discomfort. And just like on the other times, she refused to receive your help, but eventually gave in.

Outside of coincidences like these and the missions you had together, you didn't convive with her. And you missed her more than you could admit.

It was a strange feeling. You both got along well... excellent, to tell the truth, and you liked each other's company. However, that was no different than your relationship with the other Avengers, even so, Natasha Romanoff was the only one whose presence you longed more than usual whenever you were apart.

"Sure, I'll see you again," she nodded, as she rose from the seat she was in, and patted your shoulder affectionately.

This was always the way goodbyes were, and you couldn't lie, it hurt a little bit to realize that you didn't have a relationship with her outside of work. That was to be expected, many years of knowing her teammates didn't compare to a couple of months of knowing you, but you had to start somewhere, right?

That day, Natasha did as you told her and rested in her room of the Tower, and you, on the other hand, returned to the solitude of your apartment, watched a few episodes of your favorite series and waited to be summoned again on another occasion.

Said occasion was about a week later, and amidst the catastrophe that ensued, the taste of victory for having done well never ceased to leave you with a feeling of accomplishment.

It was even better than the others, since it was a mission against the organization you had unwillingly dedicated your life to serving. And this time, you were on the right side.

Your eyes watered a little. And Natasha didn't say it at first either, but she was the first to notice it because she used to watch you more than she would like to admit.

"Oh, sweetheart, what's wrong?" She asked you, turning to you with a concerned expression on her face. "Don't tell me you regretted joining us, because I'm going to hit you," she joked, and there you realized that was a habit of hers, for the purpose of lightening the mood.

And she succeeded, because you laughed, "Quite the opposite. I'm so happy to find myself on this side and to be able to make up even a little bit for all the bad I did," you confessed.

She let out a little 'Awww' and proceeded to hug you.

It felt like... like home. And maybe your home wasn't the kindest to you, so it was more like you found a new place where you could feel warm and comfortable.

It felt like a shelter from the world's harshness, and that you were at last somewhere you belonged. The embrace was gentle and firm at the same time, somehow it was a combination that could go well altogether, and it was as if every little thing that had ever hurt you was washed away by the love in that hug.

She stayed that way for as long as you needed. And later, at the Avengers Tower, everyone asked you if you were all right, and when they made sure you were calmer, they left to their respective rooms, but not before giving you words of affirmation telling you how valuable you were and what a priceless job you had done on the mission.

And after that little moment of closeness you had with Natasha, two days passed when you saw her again.

You were not specifically summoned for a mission, rather, Tony Stark needed your help to develop a new artificial intelligence prototype that would assist Peter Parker. The only difference was that Tony wanted her to ask him about his feelings and get concerned for his well-being, almost like a therapist or a mother would.

There had been maybe four or five opportunities where you had the pleasure of demonstrating your mental abilities, which were numerous.

Of course at Hydra they weren't going to raise you to be physically astute, they needed to train you mentally as well, and sure as hell they did. Because, maybe it would take Tony Stark more than four or five tasks to trust someone, but you completed them so efficiently, that very little was enough for him to be impressed and take you into consideration for this field as well.

About seven hours had passed, where you were discussing and employing the famous "trial and error", when Natasha came to interrupt. Tony wasn't too happy about it, but you were delighted.

"It turned out like shit," she concluded. She had a little dirt on her suit and her face was scarred with small injuries, but these weren't man-made, they were more like falls. "The target had already left the base by the time we got there, and took everything. All we did was kill the guards for nothing, no objective."

Tony took a deep breath, leaning back in his seat. For him, if there was anything worse than interruptions, it was interruptions for bad news.

"That's the third time in a row they've had us looking like idiots playing Tag," he snorted. "We'll figure out what to do. We did what we could."

Natasha was not at all pleased with his answer, as she wanted an immediate solution, and for her, the worst thing that could happen was to fail in something as simple as attacking a Hydra base.

"That's it?" She exclaimed, and at Tony's lack of response, she let out a groan and with giant strides, she left the room.

You ran after her, caring very little if she yelled at you to leave her alone. You wanted to at least make an attempt to be there for her.

"Nat!" You called out to her. "Nat, come on!"

She stopped, and turned to look at you, "What do you want?"

Now thar you were close to her, you noticed how fresh the small wounds on her face looked, and you would soon set out to help her with that, but the support she needed the most was the emotional kind.

"There's this place near Willow Lake," you laughed at her mild surprise. "I know, it's a bit far from here, but we can grab a bite to eat, take a walk down to the lake afterwards... you don't have to talk if you don't want to, I just want to offer you this little method of escape that has helped me in my darkest days."

There was no power on earth that would make her turn down such an offer, not only because this would be the first time she would be spending time with you outside of missions and work, but because it really sounded like a plan that would help her tremendously in all that stress she was going through.

After Natasha took a shower and changed, she went to find you in the room where you were working with Tony, who gave you a grateful smile before you left.

The drive there was long, and neither of you said much more than small talk, but it was extremely comfortable at the same time, with Taylor Swift's music playing on the car's speakers.

With this alone, she seemed more relaxed as she remained in the passenger seat. It was clear that the unsuccessful mission was eating her mind, but by having a moment to think about it, she gradually lightened up. She was very grateful that you gave her space and didn't try to distract her.

As soon as you guys got out of the car, the first thing you could feel was how pure the air was in that area, and how uncrowded it was compared to the noisy city. With that alone, Natasha understood why you brought her there, it was a peaceful and perfect place to think.

"Do you like it?" You asked, and if the redhead hadn't been too invested taking in her surroundings, she would have noticed that you were in turn, completely dumbfounded watching her..

"I love it," she nodded, with a huge smile, and proceeded to close her eyes and take a deep breath to enjoy the air.

When you entered the small cafe, you ordered a panini and a soda, and encouraged Natasha to order whatever she wanted, it would be your treat. Neither of you had eaten and it was already four in the afternoon, so you couldn't wait for the food to arrive.

You didn't ask her anything about it, and you didn't bring the subject up, you just waited patiently for her to speak first. And she did so about five minutes after she ordered.

"I feel better already," she said. "Maybe Tony's approach wasn't the best, but he's right, we'll find a way, in the meantime, we did what we could."

You smiled.

"We'll find a way to come out of this victoriously. Believe me when I tell you that they no longer have any threats and all they have left is to run. We'll find a way to corner them," you encouraged her, almost sensing firsthand how frustrated she might have felt earlier.

She nodded in agreement, "We have to come up with a plan," she replied. "I've already given a lot of thought to it, and I think right now, what I want to do is enjoy this moment with you, because, you do realize this is our first outing together?"

You did realize, and you couldn't begin to express how much you looked forward to this moment. While the conversations during missions or at the Tower were enough for you to grow fond of each other, there was always work involved.

"You're right. I wouldn't have wanted to wait this long, but I understand you're busy, and, I wasn't sure if you were in the mood to go out during your rest time."

She chuckled at the comment, "Oh, no! I like going out. And look, maybe I am busy, but you might just be worth dropping everything for... you know, once in a while!"

You reacted with a small and subtle giggle, feeling even more charmed and flattered by her.

"I must say, it's an honor to potentially be worth dropping everything for, even once in a while," you responded lightheartedly.

The food arrived just in time, and you both exchanged a look of acknowledgement at how good it looked.

"Well, bon appétit," she smiled, and didn't wait five seconds to start devouring her lunch.

You both ate in silence, very focused on enjoying the food as it was already too late after the regular lunch hour. You were starving.

When you finished your meal, you talked about banal topics to get to know each other better, such as favorite books, movies and series, hobbies, the music you enjoyed the most and whether you preferred summer or winter. It was a nice chat, where you both found a lot of common ground and were introduced to new possibilities, because let's say you left that restaurant with at least twenty songs to listen to, ten books to read and five movies and series to check out.

It was until you left the restaurant and walked to the lake that the conversation deepened. She asked you about your past, and although you didn't spill those details so easily, you ended up telling her even more than your closest friends knew. Natasha was just that kind of person.

And when Natasha shared her story with you, that was the most painful, deepest and perhaps most precious aspect that you shared — that intrinsic feeling that impelled you to abandon all evil sown in your hearts.

You were so immersed in conversation, that it seemed like in five minutes the sky went dark when in reality it had been about three hours straight.

From then on, whenever your free times coincided, you made the most of it. You made it a regular part of your lives, would always make plans for upcoming meet-ups and, naturally, your relationship slowly started to grow and deepen over time as a result.

You started to appreciate the little details that shaped Natasha, from her stunning smile to her sweet laugh, from her thoughtful glances to her kind words. It was like a flame had been lit inside of you, eventually growing into a roaring blaze that could not be tamed. You were slowly and deeply falling in love with her, there was no denying it anymore.

"Nat, I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do, but you leave me no choice," you said, as soon as you pulled a +4 card as a last resource. Your only cards remaining were two red ones and of course you would decide said color as the next.

Natasha let out a gasp of surprise, and shook her head.

"How could you?" She exclaimed, and with much indignation, took the four cards.

"I choose red," you stated, very indifferent to her reaction.

She checked the cards she had taken, and the red card she placed, was one that would prevent you from your turn, and then, she placed a red one with a number on it.

With a victorious smile, you shouted "UNO" as you placed the second to last card you had left. And to your bad luck, Natasha didn't have one of the same color, but she did have a blue one with the same number.

"Excuse me, you were saying?" She replied, in a mocking tone.

It was your turn to gasp in surprise.

"Natalia, you monster!" You exclaimed. "My devious scheme has been disrupted, and I have been bested. I expected this from everyone, but you?" You said in an over-dramatic tone, placing your hands on your chest, as if you had been stabbed.

You two were cross-legged playing UNO on Natasha's bed, having watched a couple of movies and ordered food. You had been playing for maybe an hour and a half now, and this last round was no different than the previous ones, since you were always looking for ways to trick and betray each other in this little game. Until, Natasha finally won.

"Ahhh! This was a tough one!" You commented, collecting the cards from the pile and sorting them. As you were doing this, you noticed something under Natasha's leg, sticking out slightly. "But of course, it was honest play, wasn't it? It would be a shame if you cheated."

She snorted, "Yes, honesty first and foremost, I agree," she acted innocent. You did your best to hold your laughter.

"Hey, since you're closer, would you mind getting up and handing me my phone?" You pointed to your phone, which was charging in her bedside table.

"You get up, lazy!" She teased, making you gasp in surprise.

"Well, I may be lazy, but I'm no cheater!" You exclaimed, pointing to the card under her leg.

"Oh, whaaaaat?! How did this even get here?!" She said, making her voice a little higher pitched and feigning surprise.

You couldn't help it and laughed loudly.

"Oh, come on, Nat!" You answered. "We're resuming this game, now!"

Luckily, you caught on to her trick before you rearranged the cards, and you hadn't yet touched hers and yours.

"Give me that card," you ordered her, and at that, she didn't let you have it and kept moving the card just out of your reach.

You suddenly realized you've leaned forward to try and grab at the card, and you accidentally ended up on top of her, with her lying on her back underneath you.

The world around you faded into the background, leaving only the two of you exchanging a few shy looks and smiles, acknowledging the position you were in, feeling a little nervous and uncertain about it.

The pounding of your heart was racing a million beats per second, its rhythm matching the rapid pace of your thoughts. Your cheeks flushed with warmth whilst you embraced the profound effect she had on you.

And after a while, you summoned all your courage and made the first move. You leaned in, closing the distance between you and Natasha. In that intimate moment, your lips gently met hers, softly and tenderly.

However, the thrill of the moment was replaced with confusion and disappointment when Natasha pulled away.

"I can't," her words hung in the air.

You reluctantly drew back, giving her the space she needed, and you searched her eyes, longing to find the reason behind her hesitance, but all you could see was a glimpse of regret and shame.

It was as if she carried a secret, a secret that prevented her from fully embracing the moment, despite the chemistry you thought there was between you both. Or maybe you got lost in translation, maybe she simply didn’t share your feelings.

"I'm sorry," you apologized, your voice breaking. "I didn't mean to overstep. I misunderstood."

"Please, just go," Natasha's expression remained resolute.

Her words felt like a cold-hearted stab in your chest, leaving you at a loss for what to say or do. Nevertheless, you decided to respect her boundaries, honoring her wish to be left alone.

With a heavy heart, you nodded, gathering your things. Subsequently, you whispered another "I’m sorry" as you started to walk away.

The taste of that stolen kiss lingered on your lips for a long time, as a reminder of the brief, tantalizing ephemeral glance of something that could have been.

In the meantime, you only hoped that someday, the circumstances would align, allowing both of you to talk it out and move on.

That happened when you were contacted for another mission. With the help of the advanced technology and scientific knowledge that the Tower counted with, everyone contributed to analyze the data collected.

Each member expressed their concerns, ideas and proposals for the next step to take. Natasha, in particular, treated you with incredible disdain and professionalism, leaving everyone around you surprised. It was as if she created a barrier between you both, as if she barely recognized your presence now. There was no trace of shame or shyness on her face, unlike you, who struggled to even hold eye contact with her.

Finally, the meeting concluded. As the team prepared to disperse, the opportunity to talk to Natasha presented itself. The others began to head out, leaving the two of you alone in the room. This was the moment you had been waiting for.

"Nat, can we talk?" You gently drew her attention as she evaluated the information presented in the screens.

She turned to look at you, and then nodded. It was a small gesture, but it gave you the reassurance you needed to proceed.

"I… just want to apologize," you began. "For what happened before, for misunderstanding and crossing a line that should’ve never been. I never meant to make you uncomfortable."

Her gaze softened, and she sighed, "It's not entirely your fault," she reassured you. "I should have been clearer. It's just… I have a lot of conflicts in my mind, it’s complicated."

You nodded, understanding that there was more to her story than you were told, "I want you to know that I treasure our connection, whatever it may be," you confessed, your sincerity present in every single world. "And if there's anything you're willing to share, I'm here to listen."

There was a brief pause as Natasha contemplated her response, but as the minutes passed, she felt more and more comfortable with sharing her past experiences with relationships, and how they caused her to struggle with trust issues.

"Nat, I’m going to be honest, I can't erase the mistakes of others, but I swear to you, I'm not here for just a fleeting encounter. And I’m willing to earn your trust, if you give me the opportunity."

"It's hard for me to believe that," she admitted. "But at the same time, there's something about you that makes me want to give you that opportunity, despite my reservations. It’s complicated, as I said."

In that precious moment, your feelings swirled together - joy, relief, and gratitude. You had been given a chance, an opportunity to show Natasha that your love for her could prevail over the scars of the past.

Ever since, every date you planned with her was a thoughtful gesture, meticulously adapted to her preferences as you were eager to give your best to create cherished memories. From intimate dinners at her favorite restaurants to adventurous outings exploring new places, your attention to the small details that made her happy did not go unnoticed, because she appreciated the genuine effort you put into making her feel seen and loved. She also appreciated that you never pressed her for more than she was ready to give.

You provided a safe space where she could open up at her own pace. Naturally, time went on, and Natasha began to let her guard down in your presence.

Until, one —ironically— rainy night, your phone buzzed discreetly. You glanced down and read the words from your adoptive father, that were capable of disturbing your peace within seconds…

"I hope our deal still stands, and that you didn't actually move to the Avengers' side."

Unbeknownst to you, Natasha could perfectly read the message, her expression shifting from serenity to one of concern and anger. In an instant, the world seemed to hold its breath.

Time slowed as Natasha's eyes found yours, and the depth of her pain and distrust pierced through every fiber of your being. The delicate thread of trust that had been formed between you threatened to break under the weight of betrayal.

"What is this, (Y/N)?" She asked as her voice trembled. "Have you been playing both sides all along?!"

Before you could even respond, Natasha's eyes glazed over and she proceeded to rise abruptly from her seat to leave the restaurant where you were having dinner. Little did you care and you placed a hundred dollar bill that would cover both of your consumption plus a generous tip.

Afterwards, you ran out of the place to follow her. The first thing you felt was an overwhelming cold and the rain soaking you.

"Nat, please believe me," you pleaded. "I never wanted any of this. My loyalty lies with you and the Avengers."

"Yes, yes. I've heard that story a thousand times, and I didn't like the ending," she replied.

"Nat...—"

"I don't want to hear you!" She shouted suddenly, startling you. "You expect me to believe your empty words? I thought you were different, but I see now that you're just like everyone… no, you’re worst, way worst."

The rain that drenched you seemed insignificant compared to the icy chill that her words settled within you, making the ache in your chest unbereable.

"No, Nat, please," you begged desperately, your voice being interrupted by occasional sobs. "Let’s get inside and talk, I’ll explain you everything. I love you."

She shuddered as if your words had hurt her even more. The pain in her eyes reflected the storm that ravaged her soul.

"Love? Is that what you call it?" Her voice exuded bitterness as she lashed out, determined to protect herself from further pain. "You have a funny way of showing it. Actions speak louder than empty declarations."

Her words crushed you completely, as the rain mixed with your tears.

As Natasha turned, her silhouette blurred by the rain, you eventually felt too weak to even be standing, and you kneeled in the pavement, feeling your entire body twist in pain and regret.

"Natasha, my love, please don't leave," you sobbed. "Nat… don’t leave,” you whispered this time.

But she was gone, swallowed up by the darkness and the pouring rain. And you were right where she left you drenched and devastated, unable to understand how everything could fall apart so quickly.

Your mission as an infiltrator within the Avengers was the following: to steal a valuable possession and to disrupt their missions, weakening their defenses and providing Hydra a strategic advantage.

You proposed to your adoptive father the tip of the iceberg of your original plan. You told him you would deceive everyone, in order to gain their trust and position yourself as Hydra's eyes within the mighty Avengers' Tower.

However, your true motives remained hidden. Little did he know that you yearned for a chance to redeem yourself from the shadows of your past. You genuinely wanted to make a connection with the Avengers, to join their ranks and fight for the greater good.

At first, you walked a tightrope, subtly sabotaging the Avengers' efforts against Hydra to maintain your adoptive father's trust, so he would not proceed against you or your teammates. But as time went on, you stopped even doing that, and instead, made excuses to prevent suspicion that you didn't align with Hydra's twisted ideals. And that message he sent you during your date with Natasha couldn't have been more inopportune.

Days turned into weeks, and the weight of loneliness suffocated any hint of hope that remained, because as expected, you heard nothing from Natasha, or any of the Avengers for that matter. All those friendships, laughs, trust… shattered into a thousand pieces by a message that didn't represent you at all.

You even began to consider packing your belongings and escape to another country to start from scratch. Your stupid choices held you captive, and the desire to break free consumed you.

In the midst of this overwhelming despair, you received a message from your adoptive father.

"Fine, if that’s how you want to play, then so be it. If you don't bring something valuable to us TODAY, she will suffer. We have her."

The message cut through your being like a searing blade, slashing through the delicate fabric of your soul. There was no hiding what you have done, and a life was held hostage, a life intertwined with your own.

As if the threat wasn't enough, he continued…

"Also, if you call the Avengers, we'll know, and she'll die painfully before they even get there. Steal something like I raised you to do. No tricks this time."

You felt the air rushing out from your lungs, as fear gripped your heart mercilessly. The mere thought of your beloved enduring torment struck you with agony, and there was no doubt that you would protect her at all costs.

In the midst of your despair, a plan began to take shape. You would infiltrate into the Avengers' Tower and steal the highly advanced AI system you and Tony initially designed for Peter Parker.

It seemed like the perfect key to Natasha’s safety, and to meet your adoptive father’s demands. Hydra's capabilities would be significantly amplified with it.

Your exile also translated into losing access to everything you used to come and go. In consequence, using your years of training, reflected through skills and expertise, you successfully manipulated the electronic locks and bypassed the intricate security measures.

Finally, you stood before the AI, and with a steady hand, you carefully detached the system, making sure not to leave a trace of your presence. The stolen AI system nestled securely in your possession, and therefore, Natasha would be safe and sound in no time.

You headed to the place you were ordered to, and it was conveniently apart from the city, being a former abandoned factory.

You knew that Natasha was extremely dangerous and strong, therefore you couldn't stop thinking of the position she must have been in so that they managed to get her with no problem.

Once there, you took the suitcase containing AI Karen's chip and made your way towards the meeting point. You noticed that there were about ten guards guarding the area, and one of them checked if you didn't have a weapon.

As soon as the door slightly opened, you kicked it hard and entered the place.

You saw Natasha immobilized with smart handcuffs restraining on her wrists and ankles, but when you ran towards her, you were stopped by the man you most repudiated on the face of this earth.

"Hey, easy," he said mockingly. "Let's talk business."

Your eyes glazed over, as you felt your heart ache at the sight in front of you. There was nothing you wanted more than to hug her and reassure her that you would do everything in your power to save her. But in order to accomplish that, you had to obey what was being asked of you.

"This is what I got," you began after letting out a long sigh. "It is similar to the artificial intelligence that Tony Stark has in his suit, and I participated in its development," you continued. "It has various databases and security protocols that would facilitate the acquisition of classified information, allowing Hydra to infiltrate sensitive networks and manipulate events to suit its agenda. It can also analyze patterns, anticipate trends, and adjust strategies accordingly. It would make an incredible asset for global domination."

After giving him a quick demonstration, your adoptive father smiled wickedly and patted your shoulder.

"Oh, I'm so proud of you," he exclaimed, and perhaps your self of many years ago would have rejoiced at those words, but now that you knew the price you had to pay to hear those words, you realize that they are not worth all the suffering, and never were.

"Let Natasha Romanoff go, father," you commanded with your jaw clenched.

His laughter echoed through the dimly lit factory. His eyes bore into yours, devoid of any warmth or compassion, as he reveled in his victory.

"Let her go," he scoffed, his voice filled with disdain. "Why would I release her when I finally have you exactly where I want you?"

A surge of anger coursed through you, fueling a fire that burned fiercely within your chest.

"No," you declared firmly. "You should know by now that Natasha means more to me than any twisted ideology you spew."

Your adoptive father's eyes burned with fury. In that moment, you realized that your defiance had destroyed his illusion of control.

"After everything I have done for you? Don't you see? This is your purpose, your destiny!" He countered.

"That’s your purpose for me, as your puppet," you corrected. "My purpose is not to spread chaos and destruction. It's to protect the people I love and make amends for the wrongs I've done. And guess what? That’s what I’m doing."

"Ah, so the great (Y/N) has grown soft and weak in the arms of Natasha. I knew allowing emotions into your heart would be your downfall," he sneered, with an air of disappointment. "You were meant to be a weapon in our hands, an asset for the future of this organization," he added.

"… and I would rather be 'soft' in the eyes of Hydra than hardened and devoid of humanity like you," you stated. "I may have been created by Hydra, but I am not defined by them. I choose my own path, and it's one that leads away from your darkness."

He took a deep breath, characteristic of when he already lost his patience. You knew it so well, and it never failed to frighten you.

He stepped closer, his menacing presence closing in around you, "I raised you to be better, so you have one last chance," he hissed, handing you a gun. "You end Natasha Romanoff's life, or I will do it myself. And trust me, my methods are far more agonizing than a quick death."

You trembled, feeling your heart suffocating, your mind finding its way of reminding you of the laughter you shared, the tender moments, the unbreakable bond between you and Natasha. But at the same time, you knew what your adoptive father was capable of, and it filled you with dread.

There were no other options, no escape from the cruel fate that awaited her if you refused. With tears welling in your eyes, you whispered your surrender. "Fine. I'll do it."

When Natasha heard the words escape your trembling lips, her eyes widened in disbelief, and her features contorted in a mixture of shock and heartbreak.

The knot in your stomach tightened, constricting your breath and making it difficult to think clearly. Your palms grew clammy, sweat trickling down your forehead as your heart pounded in your chest.

You cautiously approached Natasha. Every step felt like an eternity, the deafening thud echoing in your ears. When you were close enough, you saw the beads of sweat glistening on her forehead, her muscles straining against the unyielding bonds that sought to confine her. It was a testament to her resilience, her unyielding spirit that refused to be broken.

In the end, this was you, a deadly weapon raised to make these kinds of actions. What was one more kill? Your entire life had been shaped by the manipulations and training of your adoptive father, molding you into a merciless instrument of his will and the will of the company he worked for.

You raised the gun, as the metal felt cold and unforgiving in your sweaty hands. And then, as if guided by an invisible force, your finger began to tighten around the trigger.

You made the last choice, the choice that would determine the path of your future and, ultimately, save both yourself and Natasha. There was no other way out.

With a determination that burned bright within you, you aimed at your objective. So, when your finger curled around the trigger, a deafening shotgun erupted in the room, shattering the suffocating silence.

In that instant, your adoptive father's body crumpled to the ground, unconscious and defeated. His presence, once so menacing and dominant, now lay broken, a mere shadow of the authority he once commanded.

Natasha's body jerked in a sudden startle when she heard the shotgun, and her eyes clenched shut, as if shielding herself from the inevitable horror that awaited her. Every muscle in her body tensed, bracing for the impact, but then, a familiar voice made itself present.

"Open your eyes, darling, it's over," you uttered, your voice trembling with the shock of what had just transpired.

Slowly, Natasha's eyes fluttered open. The room came into focus, and as her gaze fell upon you, the realization of what you did hit her immediately.

You then reached for the small monitor that was in your adoptive father’s pocket and unlocked the restraints that held Natasha captive. She carefully removed the tape on her mouth.

Her eyes glistened with shed tears as she threw herself into your arms, her body trembling against yours. The resentment and doubt she once had towards you seemed to dissolve in that moment whilst she held onto you as if her life depended on it.

"I thought I lost you," she whispered, her voice choked with tears and vulnerability.

You held her tightly, your own emotions spilling all over, "I'm here, Nat. This is me. This has always been me."

Her lips trembled, and she pressed them against yours, and in that single, stolen moment, the world around you ceased to exist. Time stood still as your lips met, fueled by a yearning that transcended mere physical desire. It was a fusion of souls, a merging of two hearts that had endured unimaginable pain and now reveled in the sweet taste of redemption.

"I love you," she whispered between kisses.

"I love you too," you murmured, and how unmatched was the feeling of being able to say it when there was no hint of uncertainty on the other side. "And as long as you allow me, I will do my best to keep showing it to you."

After securing the AI and taking down all the guards that prowled the place, you both emerged from the abandoned factory. Although the scars of the event would forever mark your souls, you knew that you had emerged stronger than ever.

Together, you would forge a new path, rewriting the narratives that had threatened to tear you apart, and embracing the love that had always been destined to bring you back together.

This was the accomplished mission that you both were most proud of. Especially because, in addition to having shared years of experiences, adventures, and everlasting memories, it was only a matter of time before you also shared the "Romanoff" last name.

#natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x you #scarlett johansson #black widow #black widow x reader #marvel

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hausbabylon · 11 months

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pspspspsps amo tu pendeja

oiii pendejaaaa, amo vc ainda mais!!! <3

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hausbabylon · 11 months

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love’s fiery trials

Wanda Maximoff x Fem Reader

Word count: 7,760

Warnings: +18 content, smut, angst, jealousy, possessiveness, toxic behavior, manipulation, slapping, hair pulling, punishment, tying, edging, ice play, wax play, knife play, blood kink, choking chain, strap on (r. receiving), fluff at the end.

Ever since she first laid eyes on you, she yearned for your presence, and now that she finally had you, she vowed to never let anything or anyone to take away who was hers. For that reason, she struggled with an overpowering sense of jealousy. It was an inherent part of her personality, and she constantly endeavored to manage and suppress those feelings.

Your phone vibrated when you were just having lunch with Wanda. It was a message from Natasha, where she was inviting you —or rather— demanding you to go to a drag show that would take place at 8 p.m.

Upon hearing the buzzing sound, she immediately glanced at your phone screen. It was a habitual action that didn't particularly bother you, as you had grown accustomed to it. That was the very least of your worries when it came to her possessive demeanor.

When she saw it was Natasha, she looked at you, raising an eyebrow, "A drag show? Do you want to go?" She asked, as you probably already knew how she really felt about Natasha. She couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy, but she wasn't gonna let this consume her. "Whatever you want, dear, you're always free to do what you want." She added, defensively.

"Yes," you confirmed. "It's a party. There will be drag queens, drinks, and the best music from the pop divas!" You commented excitedly.

Her heart started beating faster, "That's nice. You should go if you want to," she reiterated. She seemed a little bit anxious as well, but she wouldn't express it. You wanted to go, and she didn't want to engage in a dispute about it. Therefore, she felt compelled to acknowledge that you were entitled to maintain friendships.

"Thank you, baby!" You exclaimed happily. She understood the significance it held for you, and in an attempt to provide reassurance —both to you and herself— she wholeheartedly expressed her acceptance if you ever wanted to go out and enjoy yourself.

It was 6 p.m. by the time your best friend had called you, so you took a hot shower, did your makeup, your hair, and put on some accessories. The only thing missing was the stunning dress you chose to wear tonight.

She came in the room just when you were adding the last details to your makeup, "You look so good!" She complimented you. She couldn't help but proud whenever she looked at you. You truly looked remarkable. Well, in her eyes, you always appeared extraordinary.

"Thank you, darling," you replied with a big smile.

As you slipped into the dress, she widened her eyes in surprise. It was noticeably shorter than she expected, but she didn't want to come across as insecure when addressing it. Nevertheless, she still wanted to express her observation in a way that didn't undermine her own confidence.

"Are you sure you want to go in that? I mean, it's a little short," she questioned. She didn't mean this as an insult, she just didn't want you to go in that dress. There would be a lot of girls out there, so many people, and she didn't want them to stare at you.

"Oh, it's not that short," you countered, completely unaware of it.

"If you go like this, some people may stare at you, you know?" She was trying to warn you about it. She had no intention of bringing up any other matter, wanting to avoid any appearance of jealousy. Her only focus was caring for you and ensuring your safety from those other eyes.

"Don't worry, at parties like the ones I go to, there's no need to panic," you rubbed her shoulder.

"If this is what you want, I can't really stop you," she sighed, with a warm smile. Even if it hurt her inside, you liked this outfit, you seemed so confident and happy she didn't want to ruin it. "Enjoy the party, babe," she leaned in and kissed lips tenderly.

"I will, honey," you replied, hugging her waist.

As soon as you embraced her, she tensed up, overwhelmed by a rush of emotions.

"Just, please, don't wear it," she insisted. She wasn't feeling happy about the possibility of you being there with other people, wearing that dress. "Please, wear something else, dear, please," she added, with a hint of desperation in her tone. She was determined not to let the matter go. She was prepared to persistently speak out her concerns and make her point heard.

"Are we doing this... again?" You sighed, tinged with frustration as you refused to engage in another argument over trivial matters that shouldn't undermine the profound love you had for Wanda.

"Yes! I-it's way too short!" She repeated, this time sounding more upset. "Please don't go dressed like this, they will look at you."

"I can't control what other people look," you argumented. "That doesn't take away my right to wear what I want."

"Oh, yeah? Then what, would you go in a bikini to the party, then?" She questioned, as she looked at you with a serious expression on her face. It seemed like she was presenting the worst-case scenario. By discussing this particular issue, she aimed to test whether there was a line or limit in your choices, or if you truly didn't care or had any boundaries when it came to your outfits.

"Maybe! Maybe I would do it!" You challenged her. "If they find me attractive, they would be staring even if I was wearing a hoodie and pants."

"Then, fine. I dare you to go in a bikini," she crossed her arms. She resorted to this approach as it seemed to be the only way she knew how to convey her true emotions and make you understand how deeply she felt for the entire situation.

"I don't want to!" You countered. "That's the whole point. I don't want to wear a longer dress and I don't want to wear a bikini. Only I get to decide that."

"Do you really have no limits to what you're wearing?" Her voice took on a tone of increased distress. She was truly taken over by her own thoughts. The misery and self-loathing she experienced were overwhelming, as she detested the negative mindset she found herself in. "Tell me you're joking, please, I'm begging you."

"You're acting like I will go naked to the party!" You exclaimed. "It's just that short of a dress. It's just barely six centimeters above my knees."

"And you're acting like a..." she stopped herself before she could even say what she was thinking. She was seething with fury, not directed towards you, but at the situation itself. She was infuriated with herself for being unable to control the overwhelming emotions of jealousy, the insatiable need for attention and love. The mere suggestion of going naked there seemed utterly absurd to her, and yet, she couldn't escape the grasp of these irrational thoughts. "Fine, wear whatever you want. I don't care!" She resignedly accepted.

"All right," you simply responded. "I'm leaving now, Natasha already came to pick me up."

"Please, go and have fun, and be safe there," she uttered those words, not wanting to hear any further discussion on the matter. Overwhelmed by a profound sense of guilt, she believed she had portrayed herself as the villain. She despised being consumed by such negative emotions and realized she had made a significant mistake.

As you left the house, annoyance seeped through your thoughts. You considered the possibility of simply changing your dress, however, you quickly realized that such an action would open the door for her to assert control over you even more. It was a pattern that had already occurred before: she would gradually disapprove of you attending parties, and then restrict your interactions with friends. You had set a boundary, and it was crucial to maintain it in order to preserve your autonomy.

Wanda, on the other hand, wanted to stop you from leaving through that door. The mere thought of it startled her, as she realized she was displaying behavior she promised you she would never engage in again. She knew she had already made it clear that she wouldn't prevent you from going, and she intended to stick to her word.

"Hey, girl!" You greeted Natasha happily as soon as you entered the car. It only took your best friend's presence for you to forget everything that tormented you, this was not the exception.

"Heey!" She looked at you, with that warm expression on her face. "You look absolutely stunning!" With the most genuine smile adorning her face, it was evident that she was not lying. You could feel the sincerity in her expression, affirming that she genuinely believed you looked wonderful.

"Oh, and you look more than gorgeous. Look at those curls, and that dress! Wow!" You praised her back, hoping she would feel as beautiful as she made you feel with her kind words.

"I'm so glad you're here," she commented.

"Of course! I couldn't miss a drag show and Lady Gaga music for anything, could I?" You replied. "Can we go now?"

She simply giggled, and started the car.

After a few minutes of driving, you reached your destination, and as Natasha parked the car, she observed the immense size of the venue. It was large enough to accommodate a substantial crowd. Both of you were filled with excitement and anticipation for the night ahead.

As the evening unfolded, it turned out to be truly amazing. You indulged in various appetizers, enjoyed captivating performances by talented drag queens, and found amusement in Natasha's drunk state. Since you weren't a fan of alcohol, you opted for Coca Cola instead, allowing you to savor the night in your own way.

Wanda's emotional state took a sharp downturn, as she found herself consumed by sadness. A multitude of thoughts raced through her mind, as regret washed over her, wishing she hadn't allowed you to leave. The weight of her decision pressed heavily on her conscience.

"What have I done? How could I have let her go like that? Stupid!" She muttered to herself, her tears a testament to the turmoil within.

As the clock struck 2 a.m., the once vibrant space now held only remnants of the night's revelry. Natasha had disheveled hair, her makeup was all messed up, and the way she had her head over her crossed arms resting on the bar were signs of the lively evening that had taken place.

"Nat, it's time to leave," you urged, gently taking her arm and placing it around your shoulder, intending to help her in standing and walking. However, you soon realized that she was not going to cooperate as expected. "Damn it, you're heavy."

"Pfffft, I'm not thaaaaat big! Come on!" She resisted your attempt to help her stand properly, instead clinging onto you while letting out laughter. Despite her funny demeanor, it was evident that she was in no condition to remain at the place any longer.

"Come on, Nat! I can't take you to the car on my own!" You protested.

She was laughing again, "Oh come ooooon! You're strongggg, you can handle me!" She surrounded your neck with her arms, implying that you should carry her. You were aware that it wasn't a viable option. She was heavier than she looked.

You suddenly heard a distinct laughter that caught your attention. Glancing around, your gaze met with a woman sitting across you at the bar, leisurely sipping her drink. She had captivating blue eyes, complemented by her brown hair, and exuded an air of elegance with her sophisticated attire.

"Hey, if you're just gonna laugh and not help, then fuck off!" You groaned.

The suddenness of your words had taken her by surprise, leaving her in disbelief that someone would talk to her like that, especially a complete stranger. "Hey, watch your language!"

"Then don't laugh, I'm having a hard time here," you replied, quite offended.

"I-I'm so sorry," the woman walked towards you, extending her help by gently placing Natasha's arm around her, offering support. Her actions were both unexpected and kind, leaving you with a twinge of guilt for the earlier thoughts you had about her.

"Thank you so much, I truly appreciate your help," you expressed gratefully, as you began to make your way towards the car. She smiled in response.

As you opened the car door and successfully got Natasha into the passenger seat, a sigh of relief escaped from both of you. The weight of the challenging situation began to lift.

"She got a little bit drunk, right?" She commented, a little bit amused.

"Oh, for sure just a little bit," you chuckled. "I apologize for not asking earlier, but what's your name?"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Eleanor Bishop," she introduced herself with a genuine smile. From her countenance, it was evident that she possessed a remarkable kindness and generosity towards others. "And you?"

"I'm (Y/N)," you introduced yourself. "And, Eleanor Bishop as in, Bishop security?" You asked, curiously.

"The one and only!" She exclaimed, with a big smile on her face.

"This is hilarous! I know your daughter, Kate. And her friend Yelena, she's actually this one's sister," you commented, pointing to Natasha, who was sound asleep in the tilted backwards passenger seat.

"Oh, it's such a small world, isn't it?! Full of boundless coincidences that connect people in this vast world," Eleanor exclaimed, her smile filled with genuine surprise and delight.

"Indeed," completely taken aback, you found yourself in agreement with Eleanor, astounded by how beautifully she described the whole situation that took place. "You're such a cool mom, given that you're here at a drag show."

Eleanor proudly replied, "Yes, I'm so cool of a mom," her words resonated with a profound love and immense pride for her daughter. She took the role of motherhood with dedication and care, even if it meant maintaining a certain level of strictness through rules and teachings. "I hope Kate thinks the same," she expressed, eagerly anticipating the validation of their strong bond and the mutual admiration they held for one another.

"I'm totally sure she does!" You agreed, "Well, Miss Bishop, I'm actually thrilled to meet you."

"It's truly a pleasure to meet you as well!" Eleanor's friendly tone held genuine warmth. Her willingness to engage in conversation and her open-mindedness spoke volumes about her character. "And you can call me Eleanor, if you feel like it."

"Thank you, Eleanor," you replied, a hint of gratitude laced in your words. "I genuinely hope our paths cross again soon. And I'm so sorry for having insulted you at the bar. It was thoughtless of me," as you spoke, a tinge of embarrassment took over you at the fact that you had insulted none other than Eleanor Bishop, the CEO of Bishop Security and Kate's mother.

"It was nothing, don't worry about it!" She comforted you. However, she thought it was nice to see that you were willing to apologize. She held a deep admiration for those who were not afraid to take responsibility for their actions.

"I gotta go, I have to drop my friend off at her house and I have to get home," you anticipated. "Please take care and get home safely."

"Absolutely!" Eleanor responded wholeheartedly. "If you ever need any help, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm here for you, always," her friendly smile conveyed a great kindness that you couldn't help but feel deeply grateful. "Please do me a favor and send me a text once you and your friend arrive safely at home," she requested, her concern for your well-being evident in her words.

She handed you her business card, and you let out a soft chuckle. It was amusing to consider that she carried these cards with her wherever she went.

"Count on it!" You said. "Goodbye, Eleanor."

"Goodbye!" she responded, and she started to walk away.

Her graceful walk transmitted a captivating power and elegance, akin to that of a true queen in this planet. The encounter had grown a lasting impression onto you, and you felt incredibly grateful for having crossed paths with such an extraordinary woman. In that moment, you realized that you had met not just a kind stranger, but a potential friend.

When you arrived to Natasha's house, it took you forever to get her inside by your own this time. You found yourself grappling with her weight as you supported her by looping her arms around your neck and practically drag her inside. Eventually, you managed to guide her to the couch, where you gently settled her down, in a side position. You also placed a small bucket next to her in case she woke up with a sudden need to throw up, which was a fact that it would happen.

"No way in hell I'm taking you upstairs," you glanced at Natasha, who lay soundly asleep. There was no point in saying it out loud if she couldn't hear you anyway.

As the situation demanded, you had to take Natasha's car to drive back home. You felt worried as you considered how Wanda might react to your late arrival. The clock nearing 2:45 a.m.

Deep down, you knew she would be incredibly upset. You were hoping with all your might that Wanda would be sleeping, but that also was far from reality. She could never go to bed in peace knowing that you were somewhere outside at this hour.

No sooner had you stepped into the house than you were greeted with Wanda's furious demeanor.

"Where the fuck have you been?" She sounded concerned, frustrated, and tired, making it clear that she had been anxiously awaiting for you to come back home.

"I'm sorry, I had to drive Natasha to her house. She was so drunk," you explained.

"And at this hour? How could you?" She exclaimed. The weight of her disapproval was palpable.

"I... I... I lost track of time," you justified.

Your phone vibrated in your bag, making your gaze shifting momentarily to the screen when you took it out. It was a reply from Eleanor Bishop, to the message you had sent earlier when you had safely parked Natasha's car.

"Who are you texting on your phone?!" She questioned.

"No one... a woman I met at the bar who turned out to be Kate's mom," you explained. "She helped me get Natasha into the car."

"What?! And you're talking to her on the phone?" Her eyes widened, in shock and disbelief. "You are texting another woman on the phone, at this hour?!" She repeated, the tone of her voice turned aggressive.

"Well, she asked me to let her know me and Natasha were home safe!" You really did not want to start another dispute about something as simple as that. "I did so and she just replied."

"I see, I see... let me see those messages," she ordered you, and proceeded to snatch your phone from your hands.

— Hi! It's me! My friend and I are home safe and sound. And I hope you are too. Thanks for your help again.

Eleanor Bishop: I'm glad! I'm also home. As I said before, you can always reach out for help... or well, for anything. Have a good night!

Wanda's expression turned cold as she evaluated the messages on your phone, her eyes scanning every word.

After reading the message in its entirety, she handed the phone back to you, her anger still palpable. The gesture was far from any hint or forgiveness, indicating that her anger had not subsided, "I don't want you to talk to her again. Never again. Understood?"

"Oh, first the dress, now the woman," you protested.

Wanda's eyes pierced right into yours, brimming with disbelief.

"What did you expect?" She exclaimed, her words manifesting true anger. "You can't just do as you please. It's not about the dress or you talking to a woman, it's about respect for our relationship."

"I respected you, Wanda!" You immediately countered, indignant at what was coming out of her mouth. "I didn't even drink any alcohol, I rejected every single person who even tried to get close to me, I...—"

"You respected me?" She repeated your words, "And how about talking to another woman behind my back, at three in the morning, isn't that disrespect?" She questioned, crossing her arms. "Did you ask me if you could talk to another woman, huh?"

"Listen to what you're saying! It makes absolutely no sense!" The more you argued with your girlfriend, the more your patience was wearing thin. "There's at least a twenty year age gap between her and me, do you think she'd be into someone the same age as her daughter?"

"Do i look like i care?" She had been so worried about you the whole night that even the slightest inconvenience would be enough to infuriate her. The timing of the message couldn't have been more unfortunate. "No, it's not acceptable, and if you do something like that again, if you do something that's not acceptable again, there will be consequences for you." She threatened you with a look and tone of voice that sounded really intimidating.

In that moment of frustration and irritation, you felt a surge of defiance. "Watch me," you retorted, your voice trembled with exasperation.

You took out your phone, and started texting Eleanor back, fueling the fire within you to regain a sense of control, even if it meant further provoking Wanda.

Wanda's anger indeed intensified when she noticed what you were doing. She fell silent, her fists clenched, and her disapproving gaze locked onto you. "Don't you dare," she yelled. "If you contact her again, it will be the last mistake of your life."

— Thank you! It was truly a pleasure to meet someone as cool of a mom and compassionate of a person as yourself. I hope you have a restful night and sweet dreams.

Wanda's anger reached a boiling point as she snatched the phone from your hand and read the message. The furious expression on her face intensified, and it was clear that something inside her had snapped.

"I see," but her tone was so calm, it could not be something good at all. "You really want to make me mad, is that it?"

"No, I want to remind you that you don't have power over me or my decisions," you confidently replied.

"Don't I?" She snorted with q sarcastic laugh, with a look of indignation. "You'll see that i do have that power over you, that power to make you regret it." Her eyes were staring at you, to say that she was furious would be an understatement at this point.

"Yeah. Whatever. I'll go sleep. I hope you calm down by tomorrow," you were truly scared, but you didn't let that show and instead decided to be disdainful at her threats.

Wanda stood there, watching you walk towards the room, her mind filled with a whirlwind of emotions. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but the anger inside her was overpowering.

The words you had spoken pierced her mind, and they infuriated her to the core. It was unfathomable to her that her loving and caring sweetheart could be capable of such behavior. She couldn't simply let this slide. She was starting to think, that maybe, she should be doing something worse than just threaten you.

You sat alone in the room you shared with Wanda, feeling a extreme disappointment. The events of the evening had stirred up familiar feelings of jealousy and possessiveness within Wanda, reminding you of past instances when her insecurities had caused friction in your relationship. It ranged from trivial situations like a stranger's friendly smile to more significant issues like Wanda attempting to limit your interactions with friends, especially Natasha, whom she considered a threat to her place in your heart.

Thankfully, your girlfriend had made a significant progress in managing her jealousy after realizing the negative impact it had on you. You appreciated her efforts to change and the strides she had made. However, tonight's outburst had left you feeling disheartened and apprehensive, fearing that the dark days of intense fights might resurface.

You were taking off your dress... this stupid dress, when Wanda opened the door of your room.

Wanda walked inside, she was quiet and she was looking pretty serious. "Did you ever respect our relationship?" She questioned.

As you exhaled deeply, frustration coursed through your veins. You had gone to great extents to understand and empathize with Wanda's insecurities, constantly reassuring her of the unconditional love and commitment you held for the redhead. However, it seemed that no matter what you did, it was never enough to dispel her doubts.

"Wanda, drop the topic already," you summoned all your patience not to explode in tears and scream at her. "I just want to sleep."

"Do you know how much you hurt me?" She insisted, with much fury and bitterness. "Did you even care about us, even a little bit?"

"I know what you're trying to do. It's not gonna work," you simply stated. "You're trying to manipulate and gaslight me, for me to apologize for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Well, I'm NOT sorry."

"How could you even say that? If i wanted to manipulate you, trust me, I would find better ways!" She said, referring to her powers. She was so close, you could tell that the least thing could trigger her.

"Whatever you're doing, then. It's not gonna work against me," you were all too familiar eith Wanda's tactics of manipulation. There was no need of her powers, she had a innate knack for twisting situations to make you feel responsible for things that were not your fault at all. In the past, her mastery of manipulation had often led you to apologize, nevertheless, you had grown somehow immune to her attempts at manipulation.

She stared at you intently as you moved towards the vanity, her aggression still palpable in the air. The whole situation had clearly ignited a deep anger within her, and it was evident that any attempts to divert the conversation would only intensify it.

"Look at me," she demanded, stepping closer to you. Her tone was forceful and unyielding, leaving no room for evasion. "Don't try to change the subject. I'm asking you a question, and you will give me an answer."

"I do care about us, and I have respected it. It's not my problem if you think otherwise because of stupid scenes you create in your head," you did what she asked, you answered her question.

"Stupid scenes?!" She shouted. "Don't try to minimize what you did, you are so disrespectful, and you don't even notice it, you don't even realize that!" She really looked like she was about to hit you. "Just so there is no misunderstanding, I AM NOT GOING TO FORGIVE YOU."

"Oh, what am I gonna dooo?! Wanda won't forgive me for nothing I didn't even apologize for!" I said sarcastically.

And so she did.

A searing sensation erupted as Wanda's hand connected with your cheek through a forceful slap, causing you to fall to the ground. The impact sent shockwaves through your body, it felt as if the world momentarily spun around you, the disorienting mix of physical pain and emotional sorrow leaving you speechless.

"You know perfectly well what I'm going to do," her tone of voice was cold, aggressive and threatening. "You will be reminded of who I am," she warned you.

Getting up from the ground, a surge of determination coursed through every cell of your body. You refused to let Wanda's unjust actions diminish your own strength.

Your voice quivered slightly, "No, Wanda. I won't let you treat me this way. I've done nothing wrong, and you know it."

As Wanda's laughter filled the room, a cold chill ran down your spine. It was as if your words not only meant nothing to her... they amused her.

She came close to you, grabbed a fistful of your hair and aggressively led you towards the bed. The force with which she threw you took you by surprise, leaving you momentarily stunned. She was usually very loving, and very sweet, but you just made her so mad, she really didn't like it, and now it was your fault.

She reached out for something in the bedside drawer, and subsequently, she grabbed both your wrists and put them above your head to tie them with a rope.

She was kissing you very harshly, and you weren't able to do anything, you just corresponded to the kiss accepting the fate that was awaiting you. She really didn't like it when you were doing this and when you just didn't take her seriously, you just made her so mad.

"I am going to punish you so good," she simply anticipated you, as she kept kissing you.

In the midst of your anger and frustration, Wanda's kisses managed to momentarily distract you. There was a magnetic pull between the two of you, a connection that transcended every disagreement that may arise.

Her lips descended to your neck, maybe even more aggressive now, for you could feel her biting from time to time as she made sure to mark it as she pleased. You couldn't help but let out a small whimper of pain when it became too aggressive.

"Shut up," she said, as soon as she heard you. She seemed so happy and so pleased with what she was doing. She loved being in control of the situation, now you were so weak, so vulnerable, and she just kept torturing you.

Then, her mouth went down to your breasts, and you realized this was going to become even more painful, as it was a sensitive area that she was going to deal with.

She took one nipple and put it in her mouth, sucking so hard, so harshly, while she was pinching the other. Just so she wouldn't reprimand you again, you turned your tied hands into fists and shut tight your eyes to help yourself from emitting even the most insignificant sound.

She was so delighted by her current action, that even when her mouth was starting to grow tired, she refused to stop. She loved the idea of inflicting pain in you and not even having the compassion of letting you express yourself.

"I have something special, one of the many things I want to use on you," she said as soon as she pulled away.

She opened the drawer, and took out a blindfold. She wanted to try this, and she knew you'd like it. She then put the blindfold on you and you felt her absence of a brief moment. Through your hearing, you realized she opened the door and left the room, however, she came back in just a minute.

You eventually felt an incredibly cold sensation in between your chest, as you let out a gasp of surprise.

"Oh, fuck!" You exclaimed. Out of all the things, you never imagined she would do this, oh but it would be a vile lie to say that you loved when she tried new things on you.

The frigid touch of ice against your skin numbed any area it touched, causing an intense, biting sensation. It was burning you, but at the same time, your body's natural instinct to protect itself kicked in, as goosebumps formed on your skin.

And it only increased when Wanda displaced the ice cube all over your abdomen, down to your legs and thighs, in a slow pace that made it all more and more unbearable. It felt like a thousand needles piercing your skin, sending sharp jolts of pain shooting through your nerves.

She finally went up to your abdomen and then up your chest again. You could also feel the hotness of her breath so you knew she was doing it with her mouth.

When she finished, her hand moved closer to you and it started to caress your leg slowly, she was going torturing slow, and you could feel how this was very intense for her, she was enjoying this so much.

You felt two of her fingers enter you slowly, and it felt as if a cascade of splendid sensations ensued. It was a pure and simple pleasure, like a gentle embrace. The tingling sensation, the relaxation of your muscles, it all merged into a satisfying experience.

"Mmmm..." you mumbled.

"Are you feeling good, love?" She inquired. Even though you were impeded from seeing her, a warm smile adorned her face. It was too bad you couldn't see the sweet and caring look she was dedicating towards you.

Her pace slowly grew. She knew you wanted this, and she was feeling amazing while doing it as she was also so much into it. Her eyes were on you the whole time, you could feel her piercing gaze even if you were kilometers apart from her.

She was making you feel so amazing and good, as she suddenly added a third finger whilst she increased her pace. That was so unexpected that you let out a huge moan.

She smiled at your reaction, for she loved how you felt, and she also loved how your voice sounded. She felt so turned on, both by the sight that was before her, and the sounds you were making.

"Mmmm, Wanda, I think I'm...—"

"Oh? You're close?" She said with a smirk as she kept her pace.

The relief of her touch was capable to ignite your body's capacity to experience pleasure and find solace in the embrace of her fingers thrusting you deliciously. You were so close to feel it at its fullest expression when...

She pulled away in a teasing manner. All the satisfaction you were feeling at that moment, was nothing compared to the satisfaction Wanda felt when she did that merciless act of cruelty.

"Wanda... why the hell was that?" You exclaimed, growing desperate in a matter of seconds.

"Did someone just get frustrated?" She took the blindfold off you, just so you could see there was a huge smile on her face and her eyes were sparkling as well. She would not complain about a single second from all this.

"No, please, come back! Finish what you started!" You practically commanded her when she got out from the way. She arched an eyebrow, as a way to laugh at your attempt of giving her an order. "Please... I want you," you pleaded. "I could never dare to want someone else that isn't you."

She felt pretty satisfied by the fact that she didn't have to ask... you were already begging.

It only took just a little stimulation from her part to have you exactly where she wanted. Given how you were acting before, all confident, she expected at least a little more resistance. It was almost pathetic.

"Mhmm... what else?" She purred.

"Only you know how to please me, and touch me. Only you know what's best for me."

"That's right, baby. Mommy knows best," she agreed, with a very loving tone. "But you have to wait."

She grabbed your waist, and with a swift movement, positioned you all on four. Leaving you all exposed to her.

"Mmm, you look so pretty like that, baby," she praised you. Her gaze caressed your body, and she felt immediately captivated by your beauty. Every curve, every contour, every inch of your being held a profound allure to her. It was as if her eyes were tracing the lines of a masterpiece, each stroke deliberate and filled with admiration.

When you heard she went away from you, probably to get something else, you took a deep breath, prepared for whatever was coming. You were so willing to do whatever it took for Wanda to have pity of you and please you like you deserved.

She then began to pour some wax on your back, making you let out a whimper, both of surprise and of pain.

The initial contact sent a jolt of agony, making you acutely aware of every nerve of your being that screamed in protest. It was very painful, but it was still a good type of painful. Despite the fact that you were whimpering, Wanda knew... oh, she knew.

"I love to hear that, keep on taking the pain, you love every bit of it," she encouraged you.

She then entered you with just a few inches of her fingers, just a few inches, and she kept a very slow pace... torturing you, killing you, while she kept pouring the wax on your back with her other hand.

You eventually started crying. You really needed her. You desperately needed for her to finish what she started. But by the way she was behaving, it was a long time coming for that to happen.

The heat from the wax quickly spread, all across your back, intensifying the pain as it seeped deeper into your skin. The sensation was sharp, unrelenting, and seemed to magnify with each breath you took. However, in the midst of all the torture, you still found yourself enjoying the beauty of it all. The pain held a certain rawness and vulnerability that stirred something deep within.

She then blew the candle, and threw it somewhere, not caring if it broke, as if it fulfilled its only purpose so it no longer served her.

She turned you around, leaving you laying on your back again, she seemed so satisfied with the mess that she made you. Such a crying mess, needy for her touch.

"Please," you repeated weakly.

You felt a sharp cut on the inner corner your breast, and immediately felt the hot red liquid come out. You widened your eyes at that sudden action, but again, she knew... oh, she always knew.

Whenever you felt her hot tongue against your burning skin, as you stared in awe at the sight of her beautiful lips holding some drops of your blood... she was fully aware you never were able resist it. She was eager to reach your limit.

And so, you noticed how she approached the cut and with her mouth, she tasted the blood.

You really needed her, your cunt was throbbing and every inch of your body seemed to plead for her to have compassion.

"Oh, you are really a good example of what a good girl should be, aren't you?" She looked at you with innocent eyes, her mouth had blood in it, but she didn't seem to mind.

"PLEASE!" You shouted.

She then decided to put her fingers on the side of her mouth to wipe off the blood, "What makes you think you have earned it, huh?"

She did another cut, this time on your lower abdomen... really close to where you needed her the most. And again, she started to move her tongue around the cut she made.

"Damn it," you sighed. You weren't sure if you could have more of it. She knew exactly which points of your being to reach so you could have no choice but surrender to her.

You felt the coldness of the knife cut your inner thigh, and Wanda repeated the same process. She was so close, so close to your weak point.

"I need you..." you cried out, "Come on... I don't know how much of this I can take," I said. "Please."

"Is this you begging? Has mommy done enough?" She asked in a teasing tone, but she seemed really happy with that.

"I'm begging you," you said. "I'm begging you. You're the only one I want, the only one I need."

She then succumbed, she wasn't able to help herself when she heard all of this.

She looked at you and you saw the most satisfied expression you had ever seen on anyone, she was feeling so good right now, and she wanted to give you a reward for having made her feel so delighted with all your crying and pleading.

She went to the wardrobe again and she began to look for it. It was something special mommy had for you.

She put on a strap on, but it was a different one than the one she used on previous ocassions.

"Oh! Is that why you were warming me up?" You said, noticing it was bigger and thicker than anything you had ever seen before.

"Yes... is that a problem?" She questioned as she gave you a little wink.

"No, not at all," considering how desperate you were, you were willing to take anything, no matter how much it hurt, you needed her, you needed her so bad.

She moved a little bit closer to you now, "I can see you really know me, don't you?" She then said with a huge smile on her face, "You should know this is not all," she reached out to the drawer and pulled out a choking chain. She wasn't going to give you what you wanted just like that, you needed to endure just a little bit of pain if you really wanted it. And you truly wanted it, so you nodded as a sign to tell her that you would do anything if that meant she would finish what she started.

She positioned herself between your legs, took your tied wrists and lifted you so you could sit in her lap. She let go off you a little, so that, you could lower yourself and feel the tip of the huge strap entering you.

You moaned, so loud and so satisfied that you didn't care if you woke up the whole neighborhood. It was as if every cell in your body danced with joy, grateful for the exquisite pleasure that it brought.

"You are feeling it, aren't you?" She said with a sly smile. "Take your time, baby. I can wait."

You lowered yourself little by little. It still hurt, but thanks to the stretching up from earlier, and because you were all worked up, you could take it all in a matter of a few seconds.

"Oh, my darling... I'm really proud of you," she admired you with awe and adoration. With the marks that she had left in your skin, you became the embodiment of a living work of art in her eyes.

As soon as you got the whole strap inside of you, she positioned you under her so she could do all the work for you. You endured hells for it to happen, and it was just fair for her to reward you.

She started moving very slowly, but when she noticed how well you were taking her, she realized that she could gradually quicken her pace, while supporting herself with one hand as the other pulled the choking chain.

Her face was so close to you. You noticed how her pupils dilated and her eyes turned into an even darker shade of green, it was a clear sign that she was enjoying the sight before her, just your body in motion while she did her best to please you.

The way she moved, with fluidity and grace, was a testament to the beauty inherent in every gesture she made. It was as if she was a living sculpture, brought to life with a touch of divinity. You were so lucky to have her, and she was lucky to have you.

"Do you want me to go even harder?" Her raspy voice made itself present. Your moans and the way you said her name were music to her ears, and she needed to hear more of it.

You nodded.

She kept the fast pace, but her thrusts became more intense, adding way more force, making the bed make even more noise than it already was.

"Mmmm... I think I'm—" you said, barely formulating the sentence because you were occasionally being interrupted by your own moans.

"Go on... you are doing great!" Wanda encouraged you, pulling the choking chain even more. Her voice sounded more like a sigh, since she was covered in sweat and was moving so intensely she felt exhausted, but she wasn't going to stop, she wanted to please you.

"AAAAAHHHH!" You screamed as you finally came. It was an unmatched sensation, and only Wanda managed to make it unique every single time.

She stared at you. You looked so pretty, all marked and sweaty as your chest rose and fell in an attempt to recover your breath. What a masterpiece you were to her.

"How do you feel?" She asked, as she looked at you. She was also breathing very hard. This punishment had really exhausted her, and after you had realized that she wasn't going to do anything worse than what she had already done, maybe you were starting to relax too, and maybe you were starting to understand why she was so upset, before.

"I'm tired, mommy," you said. You proceeded to take the bedsheets and cover yourself. They were completely blood-soaked, however, you were too sleepy to mind. Wanda always managed to clean them and make them look as good as new.

She imitated your action, and got into the bed with you. Subsequently, with a small movement of her hand, she moved the switch so that the light was off. When there was still light invading the room, you both realized that it was already sunrise.

She took you into her arms, cuddling you, and then, she delicately held your chin with her fingers and made you look up.

She kissed you very affectionately, while she was caressing your cheeks with her slim fingers. She was trying to calm you down and to help you relax, because you really needed to, you had been punished so rough.

"I'm sorry, baby. I had to make you learn your lesson about treating me with such a lack of respect," she apologized when she pulled away from you, still breathing a little heavily.

"I'm sorry," you responded. You still hadn't changed your mind about not letting her control you, but it seemed right just to apologize for not being comprehensive enough.

"Oh, no, don't worry about that," she countered, smiling at you. "I was just a little bit angry, but it's done already," she seemed to be very happy, and she gave you one of her special affectionate kisses.

To her, you were more than just a stunning physical form, you were a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and dreams. The way you carried yourself, the kindness in your heart, and the strength in your spirit all contributed to the captivating beauty she always saw before her. That was why she was undeniably in love with you.

"My dear love," she whispered. "All mine."

#wanda maximoff #elizabeth olsen #elizabeth olsen fanfic #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x y/n #marvel #wanda maximoff x you #scarlet witch #scarlet witch x reader

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hausbabylon · 1 year

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hiii!! I'm just here to say how much I enjoy your work and I was wondering if you never thought of switching your works to second person pov instead of first person? imo second person is so much easier to understand when it comes to reader-insert. I don't mean to offend you I'm just curious.

🍄

Hiiii! Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoy my work. Very appreciated. 🥹🫶🏼

First of all, don't worry, I appreciate any kind of feedback. If it’s more understandable and enjoyable for you all, I’ll be more than happy to switch it! ☺️

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hausbabylon · 1 year

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broken reflection

Wanda Maximoff x Fem Reader

Word count: 5,342

A/N: This story is inspired by Elizabeth Olsen's character in Love And Death. However, I must clarify that while I appreciate her performance in the show, I don’t agree with nor glorify the actions of the real-life person she portrays, Candy Montgomery. Therefore, I made the decision to switch the character to Wanda Maximoff and create a “multiverse” storyline. I was inspired by someone else who did a similar switch, and I felt that it was the right decision for my own. With nothing else to add, I hope you enjoy!

Marriage was supposed to be your happy ending, but as your marriage deteriorated, an encounter with another woman opened your eyes to a new world of possibilities and desires you never knew existed.

Time seemed to pass at a frantic pace whenever you found yourself immersed in your most tormenting thoughts. The ceiling, which you watched as you lay in your bed, became your silent witness, as the moonlight streaming in through the window illuminated the cracks in the ceiling, which you could have sworn, you knew by heart by that point.

You caught yourself finding comfort in those seemingly insignificant details, but at that moment, they seemed to be the only tangible things in your life.

Because, no one had prepared you for this.

For as long as you could remember, the idea of marriage had been presented to you as something wonderful, as a kind of destiny that you had to reach in order to be happy and fulfilled. And very late you realized that, in your quest to find that sense of belonging and fulfillment you so longed for, you had fallen into the error of looking for in marriage what you should have found within yourself.

"I worked my ass off to give you everything you needed, I spoiled you rotten, and the one thing you were supposed to give me in return, you couldn't give it to me!" He exclaimed when he came home from work at nine o'clock at night, and you found yourself in the painful position of telling him again that no, you were not in the mood to try.

He had never told you anything like that, at least not explicitly. However, he always let you know by giving you those little looks whenever he saw those happy families with their children in the park, or disguised as a brief "we're working on it" whenever the subject came up in those absurd after-dinner conversations he made you attend. He never felt the need to say those hurtful words to you, until that time.

You could hear your mother's voice echoing in your head, "That's what you get for marrying so young, to someone so old." And yes, you were the youngest of all the wives who gathered after church on Sundays. From the way they talked to you, it was obvious that they thought you were so ignorant of everything just because you were young.

Before, every day of your marriage felt like a fairy tale, everything seemed solved, and you thought you had fulfilled your purpose. It wasn't until, for a change, some idiot friend of James' decided to pick on him by telling him that he was "falling behind."

What hurt the most was that he was looking for in children what you were looking for in marriage, both wrong because, you insisted, it was within you. That was why you refused to even try, in the first place. Being a father wasn't supposed to be just a compensation for his lack of fulfillment.

After failing miserably to go to sleep at a decent hour, you woke up at noon and realized that he was gone. It wasn't the first time he had breakfast out because you simply refused to wake up to prepare him something. The only reason it didn't bother him was because afterward, he took advantage to see other women. Oh, you knew, he didn't even deign to hide it.

Even if you weren't doing the same thing, you supposed you could care less anyway. Any semblance of love had vanished so long ago, but you couldn't afford to be as bold as he was, because you repeated, you were doing the same thing, seeing other women...

... or rather, another woman.

It all happened when one Sunday night, which you thought would end up as hell, was what started a part of your life that really meant something. Very chaotic and perhaps sick to consider it as such, but all you aspired to was those weekday evenings. Before, you had nothing to aspire to, no one you really wanted to give yourself to in that sense.

For a change, you were fighting with your husband. You were eagerly talking to the women about everything and nothing at the same time when he called you over to talk, and his expression was so serene that it was inevitable to think it was not good.

"You'll be happy now! I'm the laughing stock of all my friends because they know we are not even trying to have a child," he blurted out, his alcohol breath invading your nose, causing you a feeling of revulsion immediately.

"How fragile you are to accept a commitment as big as a child is, just because you can't stand the awful comments," you replied, almost in a mocking tone. He hated that, he hated that you seconded all the remarks in some way. His friends teased him because you refused to sleep with him, and you teased him because he cared. It was his nightmare and your delight.

"Not everything is about having kids! They know you're disgusted by me!" He clarified, and just imagining the kind of conversations they were having made you loathe him even more.

"We women are not trophies for you to show off. We are human beings," you replied, pushing him slightly, which was enough for him to fall like a sack of potatoes. "How empty-minded are you guys that the only remarkable thing you have to say is whether or not you slept with a woman, huh?"

He stood up awkwardly and laughed.

"Spare me your feminist talk, I'm outta here," he growled and proceeded to walk off to who knows where.

You let out a long sigh after watching his figure shrink in size until he became invisible to your eyes. Every time he was gone, you felt free. It was as if all your problems disappeared in the form of a loathsome person like he was.

You felt even too guilty because that day you wished he would dawn lost somewhere and never find his way back or have a horrible accident.

"What you said is too true," you heard a voice behind you, making you startle.

You looked around until you came upon Wanda in the driver's seat of her car, with the window open. You were so immersed in your discussion that you didn't even notice that she had been listening to everything.

"I'm sorry you had to witness this," you muttered, lowering your head.

"You know, I always thought of you as a naive girl who doesn't have a fucking clue, but I realize you have guts. Even more than many in there," she ignored your apology, and at her statement, you didn't know whether to be flattered or offended.

"I guess it only takes being ten years younger than you for you to condemn me like that," you shrugged, opting to feel satisfied. This was a great opportunity to prove yourself wrong.

"What are you talking about? That's a lifetime!" She exclaimed as she laughed. You really appreciated that she decided to lighten up what could have been another argument with a little joke, where she made fun of her own mistake. That definitely marked a before and after between you two.

"You're right, you were all here by the time Queen Elizabeth was born," you joked back, causing her to let out a loud laugh that even echoed throughout the neighborhood. It was her reaction that made you laugh even harder.

That day, she asked you to go with her in the car and get lost around the neighborhood. It was almost like a therapeutic session; she talked about her husband, and you talked about yours. You made them the biggest targets of ridicule and insults for maybe three hours, and only stopped when you went to a gas station store to buy snacks and subsequently find a spot in a parking lot on top of a building.

"Don't you sometimes wish you had met other people?" you concluded, as she finished telling you how her husband responded to a piece she wrote. With such indifference that it made you feel extremely indignant.

"All the time," she confirmed, nodding. "Sometimes I imagine what my life would have been like if I had married someone who cared about my mind and not my uterus, and who treats me like a diamond in the rough that values at all times, and not like a trophy that just shows off but leaves to rest in some closet as soon as everyone is gone."

"That's me!" you laughed, placing your hand above hers to squeeze it, as a sign of comfort.

"But I do have a better proposition for you, why don't you start by doing it yourself? Prove to yourself that you're more than what your stupid husband thinks you are, and maybe that will even give you the courage to walk away from him if that's what you want."

You felt a mixture of fear and excitement at the idea. Could you really do it? Would you be able to find the strength to stand on your own two feet and figure out what are your own dreams, even if it meant abandoning the security of your marriage?

You looked at her, who was smiling encouragingly at you, and you felt a surge of gratitude for the moment you shared. Maybe it was time to take a chance and see what else life had to offer.

"...Wow! Such wonderful words were not rehearsed before? You're a natural," you praised her. She blushed slightly at that. "Keep in mind that I'll think about it carefully."

"Think about it! Besides, my husband is an idiot and your husband is an idiot, what would you say if... we found that courage between us? That way maybe we won't settle for less," her voice became raspy in a matter of seconds, as she leaned towards you.

"Oh, sure! Keep in mind that I'm willing to support you...-"

"Look, regardless of that silly prejudice I had about you, when we were playing volleyball, and the sweat was running down your tight blouse... oh, you have no idea what it provoked inside me," she confessed. "Today when I saw you put that fucker in his place, I realized, I'm incredibly attracted to you."

You watched her for a moment, and noticed how her green eyes turned dark. Who were you kidding? If you didn't want James to lay a finger on you it was because it was women like Wanda that you coveted with your being to do whatever they wanted with you.

"I'm not going to lie to you, I was only going to volleyball to see you," you whispered, as if you weren't the only souls in that compound.

You weren't lying. You weren't a big fan of going to physically exhaust yourself after the mental exhaustion that being under the same roof as that disgusting man brought you. However, the mere thought of Wanda being there made you become the most passionate athlete.

"Would you be interested in having an affair?" She inquired without preamble.

Every day used to feel like a cycle of dreary routines from which you could find no escape, leaving you with a sense of longing for something different to shake up your existence. You never imagined, however, that said "something" would be an affair with Wanda Maximoff.

Instead, you adopted an exciting routine that was previously calculated, in order to be able to get away with it, and so far, not a soul suspected you.

However, you were also highly involved in the delight of each other's company, so there was no danger in going to the movies, shopping, visiting each other at home to simply read together, or sharing a lunch.

You hoped that, like you, Wanda would also feel that your presence had irrevocably improved her life, for it was evident that you found in her what you knew you would never find in anyone else.

And so the sleepless nights had become somewhat more frequent than usual. They were minutes turning into hours, until the light of a new dawn appeared through the windows of the room.

Your thoughts were mainly shaped by the failure of your marriage, which there was no longer any point in fighting to save, and how it all led to an affair whose most essential rule you had broken: don't fall in love.

Fortunately, you would fall asleep after your idiot husband left the bed and his scent gradually faded away. It was during those nights that you longed to find yourself on Wanda's chest instead, with her intoxicating scent invading your nostrils. For you, it was one of the most effective ways for you to sleep.

"Who is this?" You groaned, after the ringing of the phone had woken you from your slumber. It was when you saw the clock hanging on the wall that you realized it was four-thirty in the afternoon.

"Your mistress," Wanda laughed on the other end of the phone, replacing annoyance with a feeling of happiness that only she knew how to bring.

The more you fell in love with her, the more you knew this was doomed to fail. You could feel the impending apocalypse, the moment when she would break your heart because you were asking for too much. She was the only solace in a world that had lost all meaning, and you refused to lose her.

"Oh," You replied with a chuckle. "Are there plans for today?"

"I'm too excited to see the new Star Wars movie, and I was wondering if you'd like to go watch it with me," she proposed. "I know we went to the movies recently, but I really hope you don't mind..."

"Yes! You'd love to go with you," You exclaimed, with a huge smile plastered on your face. "If you want to go to the movies a thousand times, a thousand times I'll go with you."

"Yay, perfect! I'll pick you up in an hour and a half," she anticipated you. "See you then."

As soon as you hung up the phone, you set about taking a shower, putting on an outfit and applying makeup that would leave you sufficiently satisfied with your appearance. In a matter of effectively an hour, you were fully ready.

You were putting away the mess you had left behind when you heard your doorbell ring, and with great joy, you ran to the front door.

There she was, with a smile even bigger than yours, and she didn't hesitate for a second to throw herself at you and hug you warmly.

"You look beautiful," You complimented her, appreciating her green orbs and full lips that once kissed every inch of your being.

With a slight blush on her cheeks, she looked around, then grabbed the back of your neck and kissed your lips.

As if it was the first time ever, the softness of her lips against yours was an indescribable sensation that never failed to make you melt by her touch and surrender to her.

"And you look divine," she whispered, a few millimeters away, causing you to feel her hot breath as if it were your own.

When you finally broke apart, you were both breathless and flushed. You looked into her eyes and she returned your gaze with a look that was a mixture of passion and maybe, just maybe, a reciprocated feeling of love.

***

"Have you eaten yet, darling?" she asked, once you stopped in front of the cinema, whose line was somewhat extensive.

One thing you greatly appreciated was that concern which was represented through small actions, as in this case, they were questions of whether you had eaten, and at other times they regarded your sleeping habits or whether you had eaten something really healthy and not just fast food from some restaurant nearby. These were acts that may have been automatic and even inert to her, but to you they meant the world.

"I know that tone you take when you've just woken up," she began, referring to the way you answered the phone. "And since I only gave you an hour's notice, I guess you didn't get to eat."

You laughed at her conclusion, which completely evidenced how well she knew you and how interested she seemed in you, "You got me, but it's okay, popcorn will do."

"Not a chance," she countered, predictably. "Let's get you something to eat, and we'll smuggle it into the cinema to make it more fun," she proposed.

You nodded, knowing that she always found ways to make any situation more exciting.

Together you headed towards a small food stall near the cinema, and as you waited for your order, you couldn't help but feel grateful to have someone so thoughtful and considerate by your side.

Once your plates of food were delivered, you took care to hide them appropriately in your respective bags, and, after purchasing your tickets and popcorn, you proceeded to walk towards the cinema, completely satisfied with your successful smuggling.

Finally, you found your seats in the darkness of the theatre, surrounded by the fragrance of corn and butter. You looked to your side and saw Wanda already looking in your direction. It was there that you confirmed once again that the movie didn't matter as much as the fact that you were there together, sharing a fun moment where you could escape for a brief moment.

The film turned out to be shocking in every way.

From the very beginning, it kept you on the edge of your nerves with its intense and exciting plot. The pace of the film gradually picked up and the tension built up. The scenes were shocking and you were holding each other's hands tightly.

It was then that the unexpected plot twist occurred that left you gasping.

The iconic "I am your father" stunned everyone, especially the woman next to you, who was perhaps the biggest fan of the franchise in this room.

"No way," she whispered, and you noticed her eyes watering. "There is no way!"

You couldn't lie, you were just as surprised. Even though it all started as a way to keep Wanda company, you couldn't help but feel moved. You could say you were even beginning to understand what all the fuss was about.

Once the film was over, she stared into the void for a long time, still processing what had happened.

"Do you want me to drive?" You proposed, somewhat amused at her state, but also willing to help and understand her.

"No no, I'm fine, come on! I'm not a teenager!" She shook her head, heading for the passenger door and opening it for you - a gesture you adored.

"Thank you, ma'am," You thanked her, getting into the car. Once she made her way to the driver's seat, you decided to comfort her a little. "Sometimes you're a teenager... sometimes we are. I think growing up is overrated."

She took your hand in hers, and kissed it affectionately, "I wish it was like that all the time and not sometimes; I wish all the time I could have exciting experiences that constantly make me feel on top of the world. I wish I could give that to you all the time. If only we could get married... I swear I would make you the happiest, as happy as I know you would make me."

"Unfortunately you have Vision and I have James... society is slowly programming us to be another one of the bunch, another model of the housewives we're expected to be," You retorted, feeling infected by her melancholy. "That's why we have this, to escape from time to time."

"But I don't want it from time to time! You know something? I've had it with Vision," she stated, starting her car. "I'm sick of him not touching me, not listening to me, and just watching his stupid show."

Your eyes widened.

You never imagined hearing her say that. Sure, you complained about your husbands and the life they gave you, it just didn't seem feasible for neither of you to leave them.

But in the end, why couldn't you have what Steve and Peggy had, for example? And that's when you knew you could have it, you were just with the wrong people. The biggest question was, if Wanda got this person, was she going to leave you? Was it going to be really you?

And that was your biggest epiphany.

You didn't care if you could never have her the way you wanted her, just having her in your life in any way was more than enough. You wanted her happiness even if it was at the cost of your own, and that's when you realized that what you felt was love at its best.

"What are you going to do?" You questioned, once you came back to your senses. It wasn't until you got to your house that it happened.

"I'm going to take all the money he keeps hidden in that shoe box, get the hell out of this town and start over," she replied. "I've been thinking about it for about two weeks now, but I think it's time."

You felt a lump in your throat as you listened to Wanda's words. You couldn't believe that she was planning to go away and leave everything behind, and that on top of it all, she had her mind completely made up.

You had been through so much together, you had laughed, cried and shared unforgettable moments. But now, it seemed that all that would come to an end. You would return to that monotony where you desperately searched for something that could make the day different from others. You missed your home, your family, your friends... and it wasn't your husband, it was Wanda who made you feel that leaving all that behind was for the best.

And again, if she promised to do her best to find the happiness you knew she longed for as well, then this too would be worth it.

Tears began to well up in your eyes as you tried to keep your composure. You struggled for words, for inevitably, sadness gripped your heart. Goodbyes were never easy.

"What are you doing? Why are you crying?" Wanda asked, taking your face in her hands.

"It's just... I don't want to lose you, I love you and going back to the life before I met you is scary, but if that's what you want, then..."

"Don't be silly, you're coming with me," she interrupted, wiping your cheeks with her thumbs. "Wait, you said you loved me?"

You were surprised to hear Wanda's question, immediately mentally beating yourself up for not having calculated your words, but, to your surprise, you also felt a surge of joy at finally being able to express your feelings.

"Yes, I said I love you, silly!" You exclaimed, as if it hadn't been obvious enough. "Look at this godforsaken mess that you've made of me. You're like a bright light in my life, you're the only one who makes me laugh until my cheeks go numb, you make me feel alive, you taught me colors after I got used to so much black and white, you taught me a language I can't speak to someone else. You're everything I ever dreamed I could find in someone, how could I not love you?"

"We don't need to get married, we don't need a damn piece of paper to be happy. Happiness is the most important thing and we already have it," she said, moving closer to press her lips against yours for a moment. "I love you madly. Thank you for opening my eyes. You were my motivation for coming up with this plan in the first place, now that I know what it's like to really live, I refuse to go back to what came before."

"How are we going to do that?" You inquired, somehow reminding her that you too had an issue to disengage from.

"Meet me at midnight."

Once you returned home, you found the person you were unexpectedly certain you would leave behind in a matter of hours.

He had his feet up on the coffee table, his hair tousled and his tie undone, his eyes too focused on the television, which fortunately were struggling to stay open.

"You should go to sleep, or you'll have a very hard time getting up tomorrow," You suggested, knowing full well that you were only going to earn a complaint.

"It's my problem if I want to stay up all night," he grunted, straightening his posture to wake up a little. Even he couldn't deny that it was in vain.

With a scoff, you dropped your bag on the kitchen counter and headed for the bedroom.

You had to pack as soon as possible so that when James decided to go to bed, you wouldn't be caught literally displacing your entire life in a single suitcase.

You started with your clothes, which you folded into rolls so they would fit more effectively, and proceeded to take your beauty products, hygiene products, belongings that held sentimental significance, and sadly, space only allowed you to pack two pairs of your favorite shoes. It was a huge suitcase, the same one you used when you moved here, and you were even surprised at how much you could fit in it. You guess it was again going to accompany you in a new scenario, this time a successful one.

You heard James' clumsy footsteps approaching the room. By that time, you had the suitcase packed and hidden under the bed, waiting for midnight. It was only half an hour away.

He collapsed into bed, not bothering to change or pull the covers over himself. He just tossed and turned, with nothing else on his mind but sleep as soon as possible.

When the time came, you let out a deep sigh and carefully got out of bed, feeling your every movement like an explosion in the darkness of the room.

Once you felt more confident, you slowly bent down towards the suitcase you had hidden under the bed. Every inch you moved was a huge effort, but you knew you couldn't afford to be discovered.

Finally, you reached for the suitcase and carefully pulled it out. Each movement was as if you were touching a taut string, expecting that at any moment it might snap and make everything fall apart. Likewise, each step you took seemed to be heavier than the last, but without looking back for a moment, you kept moving forward, knowing that you were on the last step of your escape.

You heard footsteps approaching from behind and your heart began to pound.

No, no, no. You refused to turn around and look. You were too close!

You tried not to think about it, to convince yourself that everything was fine, but it was impossible.

Suddenly, a hand landed on your shoulder and you were startled. You turned around to face James, who was standing there, his eyes full of sadness and worry.

"Let me go, James. There's nothing you can do to stop me," you said quietly, trying to hide your fear.

"I know," he said in a calm voice. "I'm not going to stop you. There's no point in keeping this marriage if you're not happy. If I'm not happy. Go with her."

You were shocked to hear those words coming out of James' mouth. For so long, you had been holding back your true feelings for fear of hurting him, and that it would end badly. He already knew that, and he accepted it.

Your expression made him chuckle, "I saw you kissing before you came in," as if reading your thoughts, he confessed what you were wondering. "I just want you to know that I've been watching you for a while now. I noticed how happy you were coming back after spending time with her. Only someone very cruel would stand in the way of that... I'm not cruel, even though I haven't done a very good job of showing it."

You couldn't help but feel some gratitude towards James for being so understanding. It was a strange feeling, considering you were running away from him, but in that moment, you felt that you had finally found someone who understood what was going through your mind.

"You're not the only one who's been seeing other people. I've been seeing... men, too." He confessed, leaving you paralyzed, not knowing what to say. You never would have imagined James would say something like that to you. You felt confused, shocked, and at the same time, a little relieved. At least you weren't the only one who had been hiding something. "You should learn from me, I was careful about it," James joked, trying to lighten the tension in the air.

Finally, you found the right words, "Thank you, James. For understanding me, for being honest. I don't know what's going to happen to me and Wanda from now on, but I'm sure I'll find my way to happiness. And please do whatever it takes to find yours too, no matter with whom it is."

He simply nodded, an understanding expression on his face. "I promise I will, and I hope this isn't goodbye."

James and you hugged each other tightly, sharing an emotional moment that would seal the end of your marriage. It was amazing how this moment of parting was the one where you felt the most respect and compassion for him, and you could tell the feeling was mutual. It would have been easier if instead of condemning each other, you had been willing to understand each other.

Afterwards, he offered to walk you to the car towards Wanda, and you accepted. You walked together in silence, as if you both knew it was better to leave words behind.

The older woman was waiting inside the car, and both James and you laughed as her jaw practically dropped to the floor when she saw you. The confusion was palpable on every faction of her face.

James walked over to her and took her hand, looking at her lovingly, "Take care of each other as only you know how, love each other as you deserve to be loved, because you two are amazing people and deserve all the best in life." He told her sincerely, conveying his flooding desire to redeem himself.

Wanda was overwhelmed by your now ex-husband's words, and nodded tearfully. "Thank you for trusting me with something as precious as the happiness of this one right here."

James gave you one last hug before walking away, and Wanda's gaze was still fixed on him with equal parts sadness and gratitude.

You placed your suitcase in the trunk, and subsequently made your way to the passenger seat.

Wanda asked, "Do I want to know what happened?"

"Long story," you sighed, letting out the air you'd been holding in for far too long.

"Well, we have a long trip waiting for us. There's time," she started the car's engine.

With great excitement, your story with Wanda began this way, the person with whom you were destined to witness fulfillment at its greatest expression.

Together you started a business and lived on it, your daily routines never lacked for adventure and laughter. Every day your love grew more and more, and you never looked back, always moving forward together.

You fondly remember how each sunrise was like a new roller coaster of emotions, always full of new challenges. And in the most difficult moments, when darkness threatened to invade you, you clung to your union, knowing that together you could overcome any obstacle.

And so, with Wanda by your side, living each day with passion and enthusiasm, you knew you were exactly where you were meant to be, living your life to the fullest alongside the person you love most in this world.

#candy montgomery #fictional candy montgomery x reader #elizabeth olsen #elizabeth olsen x reader #elizabeth olsen fanfic #love and death #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x y/n

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hausbabylon · 1 year

Text

hexed hearts

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Word count: 7,390

A/N: First Wanda story! I’m not sure if this has never been written or if this is a huge cliché of a story, however, I enjoyed creating this, and I hope you all enjoy reading it.

Warnings: Infidelity, illicit affair, mind-manipulation, cliffhanger ending.

You're a researcher who intends to investigate the strange occurrences happening in the town of Westview. Your inspection leads you to Wanda Maximoff, the cause of the anomaly, and a confrontation ensues.

You arrived in New Jersey on a crisp autumn day, eager to begin your investigation. As a researcher specialized in anomalies studies, you were totally captivated by the Westview case, therefore you didn't hesitate to check out this small town.

It was harder than you thought to get any information. The entire place was covered by some sort of veil, and no one with whom you managed to communicate seemed to want to know about what was happening.

So, you decided to take matters into your own hands and launched a small drone to break into the area. The device was equipped with the most advanced technology, meaning it could record real time, and you hoped that you would be able to gather some valuable data from its surveillance footage.

As the drone flew over the town, you were stunned to see that it had entered some kind of force field.

At first, everything seemed normal enough. Westview had charming, picturesque characteristics all over it. But as you began to dig deeper, you noticed something, or rather, someone.

Suddenly, the drone's video cut out, leaving only a glitchy screen. You tried to regain control of the drone, but it was impossible.

Frustrated, you made your way to the force field to see what had happened.

You stumbled upon Wanda's intense, fiery red eyes, provoking the biggest feeling of panic to rise within you in a matter of seconds. As far as you knew, she was responsible for all this.

"You were trying to spy on me, weren't you?" Wanda's voice was laced with anger and suspicion.

"No, I swear! I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to understand what was happening in this town," you tried to sound as sincere as possible, hoping to ease her rage.

"You don't understand anything," Wanda yelled, startling you. "You don't understand the sorrow, the dread, the suffering. You don't understand what it's like to lose everything you love and have nothing left."

"I'm sorry. I promise I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again," your voice was trembling as you spoke.

You knew she loved the weakness you were presenting, it was notorious given the expression of amusement she had drawn all over her face.

"I can't let you go," she answered, her tone final. "You're a threat to everything I've built here. I can't have that. I won't let you ruin everything."

Desperately trying to come up with a way out of this mess, you pleaded for mercy.

***

It was a beautiful summer day in Westview, perfect for a pleasant walk.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and everything seemed perfect. In this picturesque town, nothing seemed to matter at all. You felt happy and content, living a simple life in this idyllic environment.

You had a job in a vinyl shop, therefore you spent your days surrounded by records, helping people find whatever they needed. In the evenings, you mostly spent time with your friends, gossiping about the latest news and events in town. Life in Westview was perfect. The thought of anything outside of this town seemed odd to you.

You were on your way to get yourself another smoothie during a day out with your friends when you saw her.

You were completely taken aback. Her beauty was beyond words, and her presence was captivating. Her red hair framed her face perfectly, and her stunning green eyes were full of emotion and depth. Her features were delicate yet powerful, and you found yourself mesmerized by her every move.

When she caught you staring, you felt your heart pounding its way out of your chest. You thought she was going to look away, or worse, look at you badly, however instead...

"Hi there," she greeted you with a soft smile.

"H-hi," you replied shyly, reciprocating.

"I'm Wanda," she introduced herself, extending her hand.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met before," you said, taking her hand. "And I'm (Y/N)."

"It's okay," she said, still smiling. "I just wanted to welcome you to town."

You nodded, completely mesmerized by every single detail that made her up, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Wanda."

As you continued walking, she asked you about your life in Westview. You told her about your job and your hangouts with friends.

She listened intently, until she concluded, "It sounds like you have a wonderful life here," she observed. Every word she spoke was filled with warmth and kindness.

You agreed, feeling a strange mix of happiness, "Yes, I do. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else."

You couldn't get rid of the thought that there was something more about Wanda. Nevertheless, you quickly dismissed it from your mind, deciding to focus on the simple pleasures of your life in Westview.

From that day on, you were inseparable. You crossed paths every so often, and each time, your connection grew stronger. You talked about everything, exploring the town and getting to know each other. You found yourself falling unavoidably in love with her.

One sunny afternoon, the redhead and you were enjoying a picnic in the park. You had packed a basket full of your favorite foods, and you were lounging on a blanket under the shade of a tree.

As you chatted and laughed, you couldn't help but simply think about her, appreciate her. She had become your closest friend, and you trusted her completely.

You reached for the last strawberry that remained, but she playfully pulled the plate away from you, "Not so fast," she refused, a mischievous glint in her eye.

You rolled your eyes and chuckled, reaching for the plate again. This time, you managed to grab it, quickly putting it in your mouth before she could snatch it from you.

After finishing your food, you were just laying on the grass as you watched the clouds. You chatted about your favorite music, exchanging recommendations and opinions. Wanda had a great sense of humor, and you teased each other relentlessly about your tastes.

"You like that song? Ugh, I could never guess you were that type of person," she laughed.

"It's a guilty pleasure," you justified.

"Fair enough. But if you want great music, I can give you some recommendations."

"Deal," you agreed, eager to know more of her interests.

You kept enjoying the warm sun and cool breeze, until the older woman invited you over to her place to listen to her records and drink some lemonade.

As you walked to her house, she continued chatting about her vinyl collection, stating that you would love every single one of them, given her similar music taste.

However, when you made it there, you were surprised to see a man there on the porch, reading the newspaper as two kids played hide and seek in the small garden.

"Hey, Vis, this is my friend, (Y/N)," Wanda introduced you.

"Oh, it's famous (Y/N)! So nice to finally meet you," he kindly said as he stood up and smiled widely at you.

"Tommy! Billy! Come here for a moment, I'll introduce you to someone special," the redhead called the kids, and immediately, one of them stopped counting and the other came out from his hiding place.

It was then that you realized that this man, Vision, was Wanda's husband, and they had two kids together.

You felt shattered and confused. You had no idea that she was married and had a family, and the fact that she had asked you to come to her home made you feel like you had unknowingly crossed a line. It all began to sink in. You had developed feelings for someone who was already taken, and you didn't know what to do.

You started to distance yourself from her, and it was probably the most painful decision. At some point, you started questioning if it was worse to be surrounded by her even if it made you suffer, or not to be surrounded by her at all.

You missed her madly, however you knew that it was the right thing to do. It was hard seeing her every day, and despite the fact that you tried your best to stay away, you found yourself constantly drawn to her, lost in thoughts of what could have been.

At some point, it was unbearable to continue like this. You needed to move on and find someone who was available and could return your feelings. So, you started dating someone sweet and kind, hoping that a new person would fill the void in your heart.

Too little avail, for you simply couldn't quit daydreaming of her smile, the way she wrinkled her nose whenever you teased her, her piercing eyes that acquired a peculiar bright when she ate her favorite food... she all etched into your heart.

You realized too late that you had made a mistake by distancing yourself from her. Wanda moved on with her life, and you were right where she left you. You should have talked to her and told her how you felt. Although she might've found it obvious, it was too much of a coincidence that you cut her off from your life right after she introduced you to her husband and her kids.

You thought that she would reject you when you asked her to meet, nevertheless, she didn't hesitate for one second to ask how you were and subsequently, told you that there wasn't a day she wondered what had happened.

You liked to believe that she thought of you from time to time, and a sense of bliss took over you when you confirmed that indeed she did.

"Wanda," you said, looking around her living room filled with pictures of her and her husband, and her kids. "I needed to let you know that there is nothing wrong with you."

She looked at you, her beautiful green eyes meeting yours. Oh, how you missed them, "What is it?" she questioned.

"I've been trying to deny it for a while now, but I can't help the way I feel about you," you started, your voice breaking with each word, knowing that this would probably mean a goodbye for good. "I'm in love with you."

"I... I don't know what to say," she replied, her eyes growing wider. "I had no idea you felt this way."

"It's been eating me away. I just had to tell you."

She reached out and took your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "I'm married," she said softly.

"I know," you answered, feeling a pang of disappointment, which you were expecting but never truly prepared for. "I don't intend to cause any disruptions. I just needed..."

"I'm in love with you too," she interrupted, her voice filled with emotion. "I want to be with you."

Your heart leaped with joy, almost so suddenly that you felt like you were going to pass out. Wanda, your dear Wanda, shared your feelings!

As she leaned in, your lips met, and a rush of electricity coursed through your body. She wrapped her arms around your waist as she deepened the kiss, pulling you in closer.

Your mouths moved in perfect sync. You tangled your fingers in her hair as her own hands roamed over your back, reveling in the warmth of her embrace. Time seemed to stand still as you lost yourselves in the moment, consumed by the intensity of your desire for one another. Finally, you pulled away, breathless and flushed with the realization of what was about to start between you.

But then, the realization hit you. Wanda was married, with kids. You couldn't just come in and ruin her life like this.

"I know this is complicated," she commented, as if your thoughts were so loud for her to hear. "I promise you, we'll figure it out together."

And just like that, you were together. It was a surprising turn of events, but it felt so right to be with her. You knew that you had a lot to deal with, given her marriage, but as long as you were together, nothing else mattered.

Your dates were the most romantic in the world. The way Wanda would get all dressed up, pick you up promptly and always look for an opportunity to surprise you. You would talk for hours and laugh until your cheeks hurt. You thought it was perfect.

But there was something missing.

You tried to be understanding and patient, however it was becoming harder and harder.

You broke down when one time you walked out of the restaurant, you couldn't resist the urge to take Wanda's hand in yours. But as soon as you did, she pulled away and looked around nervously.

"Please, not in public," she whispered, avoiding eye contact.

You felt a pang of hurt and frustration. You had been dating for months now, and yet she still acted as though you were hiding some dark secret. There was almost nobody around, ten people maximum who were too invested in their own lives. No one was looking.

When she dropped you off, you confronted her, probably for the thousandth time already.

"Why can't we be together openly?" you asked, trying to keep the anger out of your voice.

"Because I have a family that I love," she replied, notoriously irritated for having this conversation again. "You knew what you were getting into when we started this."

"You act like I'm some sort of inconvenience to you," you snapped, tears already pricking at the corners of your eyes.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at you, her voice rising with anger, "You know what? Maybe you are an inconvenience. It's not like you appreciate the sacrifices I have to make in order to be with you!"

You felt your heart sink as her words hit you like a ton of bricks. "Why the fuck would you say such stupidity? You've respected my decisions, even if you don't always agree with them."

"You don't know the half of what I have gone through," the older woman spat, her voice trembling. That was the moment you knew she was losing it. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have to lie to your own family every day? Everything I have right now, I earned it after so much sorrow. I won't toss it in the trash just to be with an ungrateful brat."

You took a step back, feeling hurt and confused, "I never asked you to do any of it. I just want to be with you, to introduce you to my friends as my girlfriend..."

"I can't give you that," she shot back, "You want everything to be easy and perfect, maybe you should just find someone else who can give you what you want."

You felt a lump form in your throat as her words stung you deeply, "What do you mean, Wanda? Are you breaking up with me?" She remained silent, leaving you hurt and confused, unsure of what to do or say next, "Fine, then maybe we should just end things here."

She finally spoke, "No, that's not what I want," she replied, her tone growing softer. "I'm sorry," she apologized, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know I'm not the easiest person to be with."

Despite all this, you couldn't help but fall more in love with her every day. She was kind, intelligent, and beautiful.

Taking a deep breath, you looked into her eyes and told her how much you loved her. You explained how much this whole situation hurt you.

"I just feel like we're never going to be able to be truly happy if we keep hiding."

Wanda stopped and looked at you, her eyes searching yours. "I know, and I don't want that for us either. I'll try to be more open, I promise."

You thought that this little talk would make a change for the better. This was only the beginning of what it would be like to emerge from the fire only to fall into the embers.

***

The reality of Westview that Wanda Maximoff had built up was already a part of your bitter past.

You had been completely immersed in said alternate reality, but you couldn't recall what happened there. Your recollection of that time was probably suppressed or deleted when you returned to what you perceived as your current reality, leaving you with no idea of what transpired in Westview during this bizarre and surreal period.

You frequently experienced being attracted into vivid dreams that felt terribly real. She was supposed to be the enemy, your enemy, but some dreams tightened their grip on your heart with tenderness, so much so that, inevitably, you felt longing and attraction towards the redheaded woman.

Every night, you hoped with all your might to have one of those nocturnal reveries that involved words of love, walks around town, laughter, and other memorable moments. On one night, however, that wasn't the case...

"What's the matter, darling?" you asked, putting down your bag and approaching her.

She didn't answer, just kept flipping through the photos.

"I don't like that," she said, holding up a photo of you with someone you couldn't quite recognize.

"That's just a picture of me with a co-worker in a reunion," you responded, perplexed at how she was intending to make a big deal out of it.

"Too close, look at how she's grabbing your waist," she snapped, raising her voice. "Whenever I visit you at your work, you're always by her side and I hate it."

You tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen and just kept flipping through the photos, getting angrier and angrier.

What happened next made you truly wonder, was you crazy or did her eyes actually turn red?

You felt a knot in your stomach while your hands trembled with fear, and you had a feeling that something horrible was going to happen. You were paralyzed, unable to move or breathe.

"Why the fuck are you just standing there?" She yelled as she turned to you with said red eyes.

"Wanda, please calm down," you whispered, taking a step back. "You're scaring me."

She got up from the table and started pacing, still holding the Polaroid that upset her the most.

"I can't believe you're doing this to me," she finally said, so calmly that it scared you even more. "Betraying me, huh?"

"I could never betray you," you stated. "I love you and only you."

It was like she did not listen to anything you said at all, ignoring your attempts to clarify the misunderstanding that was all in her head. "I can't stand the thought of you seeing someone else," she shook her head. "You belong with me."

Her words sent shivers down your spine, "Yes, I belong to you. You're the only one I love," you reiterated.

She grabbed your hand and pulled you closer to her, much to your surprise. "Prove it," she whispered dangerously close to your lips. "Prove to me how much you love me."

You woke up abruptly, immediately feeling a cold sweat running down your back, definitely due to the terror that felt so real. And you couldn't deny that frustration took hold of you afterward, for as was typical, the best part was cut short.

***

You waited for what seemed like a lifetime; nevertheless, Wanda Maximoff finally stood in front of you, looking as lovely as in your dreams.

"Hi, Wanda," you greeted her, stunned at her beauty.

"Hello," she replied, with a glimpse of a smile on her lips. Her green eyes acquired that peculiar brightness you already knew all too well.

"I'll get straight to the point. I don't understand what happened between us in Westview. These dreams, were they not dreams but rather... memories?" you asked, desperate for answers.

"I used my powers to draw you into my reality because I felt like you were threatening what I created," she explained. "At first, I started to be your friend so I could keep an eye on you, but as time went by... I swear to you, even if what I created was not real, what I felt for you was the realest thing in the midst of it all."

You stood and stared at her without a word. You never expected her to show you such honesty so easily.

She seemed very willing to do things right, and perhaps her way of doing so was by simply surrendering to the acceptance of her bitter situation and leaving everyone alone. Nevertheless, you didn't want her to leave you alone, not after what you had lived.

"I- I..." you started, but she cut you off.

"You don't have to say anything," she responded. "You think that it was wrong. And you're right, I shouldn't have done it, you have a life and a free will on your own like everyone else in Westview. I was just so lost in my own grief."

You looked at her and understood her pain better than you thought possible. "I'm sorry for what you went through," you said, taking a step closer to her. "What's your final decision?"

"I want to focus on the only true love I've always had for granted if everything fell apart. On you."

Your heart leaped. "What do you mean?" you asked, not sure if you heard her correctly.

"I love you," she established, taking a step closer to you. "We barely know each other in this reality, but the feelings I have for you are real, your essence is real, and I want to get to know you for who you are. If you allow me this time, of course."

"Wanda, I'm flattered but... I feel like you consider me a substitute for Vision."

"I could never," she assured you, grabbing your hand. "Even when I had Vision with me, I never considered you a substitute, a second choice, or a fling. You were my love too, a unique love in its own way, simply that," she continued. "I couldn't stand losing you too, knowing you're somewhere over there. That was why I was visiting you in your dreams, giving you your memories back little by little."

You looked into her eyes, and the weight of her words sank in. That was when you knew that you couldn't resist her anymore. The warmth that had spread through your chest grew stronger, as a grin spread across your face. "You don't have to ask again," you said, inviting her into your arms, to which she didn't hesitate for a single second. "I'm already yours."

And as you held her, you knew that nothing else mattered. It seemed like the entire world vanished, and the only ones who existed in that moment were her and you, two souls reencountering, wrapped up in a warm embrace.

The months passed, each one bringing with it a seed sown in the soil of your hearts.

They say it doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you don't stop. How true it was, for each small step guided Wanda on the path to rediscovering joy in her life.

"Hey! If you keep digging on the glaze, we won't have a way to decorate the cookies," the redhead scolded you, making you let out a growl of frustration.

It was perhaps the third time you had tried unsuccessfully to take some of the sweet glaze that was temptingly resting on the kitchen counter while she was distracted checking on the cookies.

"Then why do you make it so delicious? It's not my fault you're good at everything," you inquired, taking another bit, and before she could protest, you placed some on the tip of her nose.

She wrinkled her nose, which you always considered adorable, "Mmm, resorting to flattery to get what you want. It doesn't work on me," she stated, taking your waist in her hands, in a firm yet delicate grip.

"What, now you can't praise your beautiful girlfriend and everything she does?"

"Not when there's glaze around," she directed both eyes to the tip of her nose, which still had the little stain you caused earlier. Laughing, you removed it with a napkin and subsequently kissed the area.

The cookies came out of the oven, spreading a delicious smell around the house. Some were star-shaped, heart-shaped, Christmas tree-shaped, and gingerbread man-shaped. You started eating them once you headed out into the backyard of her house, with the starry sky above you.

She looked up at the stars, which seemed to be aware that somewhere a passionate couple was going to appreciate them, as they were brighter than usual.

Despite this, it didn't take you ten seconds to turn your attention to her. The most admirable landscape of all was right next to you.

"I love you," you told her. You repeated it to her every time you stopped to appreciate her and therefore think about how lucky you were to be surrounded by the presence of someone so wonderful, which happened many, many times.

She looked at you, and with that smile she specifically adopted when you directed those three words towards her, she replied, "I love you more, my sweetheart. Thank you for teaching me every day that this world has its charm. You are the best demonstration of all."

All the progress she seemed to have made crumbled in just one careless, reckless moment of curiosity.

When she confiscated the Darkhold from Agatha, she had the ancient magic book at her mercy and really did nothing more than flip through it. It was only recently that she decided to actually open it and study it.

Since then, the days and weeks went by in which she did nothing more than that. It was her first thought in the morning after getting up and her last thought before falling asleep. At first, you didn't think much of it, in fact, you were somewhat happy that she had found an interest on her own initiative.

You were so naive in believing that she was just curious, and that she was really going to study the contents of that dangerous book without actually putting something into practice.

The only complete sentence she addressed to you since all that time was about bringing her sons Billy and Tommy back.

Her eyes possessed a peculiar mixture of longing and illusion at the same time. You knew then that no matter how much she had improved since the incident in Westview, there was an emptiness that gnawed at her and it was the absence of her sons.

You were mindful of how dangerous the Darkhold was, and that the dark powers it possessed were not something to be played with, much less if it was for her own desires. You tried to persuade her to drop the possibility of doing that, but she seemed quite convinced. It only remained for you to continue pretending that her sick interest in that book was not affecting your relationship.

She became even more distant, if that was possible. She spent all day immersed in those pages to such an extent that she forgot everything else in her life, like eating or even sleeping. She had left behind her purpose of acceptance in the face of the fact that nothing about Westview was real. It wasn't enough for her that she and her children were happily living in another universe, she wanted it to happen in her current one.

And you couldn't help but feel frustrated, as well as guilty. You did everything you could to make her happy and to make a positive contribution to her life, but it wasn't enough, it only took one book for all that to go down the drain. You felt so guilty, for you were also allowing her to go out of her way. You should have insisted more, however, you didn't want to make her mad, or make her think like you didn't care about her sorrow.

And little by little, the day when you officially gave up came.

You had placed a sandwich on her nightstand, still with a shred of hope that she would eat. It pained you to see her with those huge dark circles under her eyes, a sign that she wouldn't leave that book even for a little sleep, and you were troubled by the way the breakfast you had placed on her nightstand that morning was still untouched.

"Please, eat something. You didn't have breakfast," you requested in a tone that had long since become a plea. Most of the time, this was in vain.

It is well said that it is a stupid thing to think about doing the same thing and expect different results. In your case, it could be called delusional.

"I'm not hungry, but thank you," the redhead replied, without looking up.

"Of course you're not hungry, you're so invested in that fucking thing that it distracts you from even listening to your own body," you grumbled, resigned that this would be another day just like the others. This routine became monotonous, and you were beginning to lose patience.

"If you don't like it, you know you can leave," she snapped, leaving you stunned at her rudeness.

"Okay, I'll do you the best of favors and leave, for good."

Her green eyes met yours, and at that fact alone, you regretted the decision you made. Instantly, you felt so willing to take back what you said and continue to suffer only if there was a one in a million chance that you could experience this again.

"You can't leave me!" Wanda's trembling voice echoed through the room, her eyes flashing with anger.

"I promise, it won't make any difference for you," you countered, steeling yourself to make this decision final.

You headed for the bedroom door, determined to put all this behind you. It was something that hurt, but sometimes running is the brave thing to do, for maintaining was more torture than letting go.

You felt a strong grip on your arm as soon as your hand was about to turn the doorknob, She grabbed you tightly, her eyes blazing red with fury, "I said, you can't leave me. I won't let you."

You tried to pull away from her grasp, but she was surprisingly strong. You knew this was not a human force. "Wanda, please let me go. You're hurting me..."

But she wouldn't listen.

"No!" Her jaw clenched in desperation, tears cutting tracks through her face. Her grip on your arm tightened even more, as her fingers were digging into your flesh like claws.

You weren't sure how, but the sight of those mesmerizing green eyes was enough to make you feel the need to not only stay with her but to do what you could to be of her convenience.

"Repeat after me," she ordered you. "I swear to keep the Scarlet Witch's secrets, never betray her trust, and serve her faithfully until my dying day."

Without any difficulty whatsoever, and in the most willing manner ever to come from your lips, you repeated: "I swear to keep the Scarlet Witch's secrets, never betray her trust, and serve her faithfully until my dying day."

Since then, you had the honor of assisting Wanda in multiple stages of her Darkhold dominance.

You were in charge of pleasing her in all aspects, finding certain items or scouting locations that were required for some rituals or spells, but perhaps the most remarkable thing was when she taught you about astral projection.

She ordered you to keep an eye on Stephen Strange because he contacted her not long ago. It took exhaustive practice over many hours for you to be ready for such a thing, without him noticing your presence.

The first few days were boring to witness, as they were full of cheap tricks that were no match for the power of your beloved Wanda Maximoff herself. However, you eventually found out the reason why, and it was something that would be of utmost convenience to the redhead in question.

"My mistress," you ran to Wanda in hurried steps. "Stephen Strange was found by a girl named América Chavez. She has the ability to travel between multiverses. That's the reason why he contacted you, I'm certain."

"Interesting," Wanda replied. "Apparently, Stephen is more naïve than he thought. You can go now."

"Yes, my lady," you responded obediently, kissing the corner of her lips.

"Don't distract me," she protested, slightly angry.

"I-I'm sorry," you lowered your head, with palpable embarrassment.

You felt her hand touch your cheek, and subsequently, her index finger and thumb caused you to look up.

"Hey, I'm proud of you, okay?" Her gaze softened, and a small smile graced her lips. "So far, you've obeyed my orders, you've been willing to learn from the Darkhold to serve me, and you've never refused a single request from me."

"Thank you, I'm happy to hear that, my mistress. Do you need anything else?" You asked.

"Yes," she confirmed with her voice low and raspy. Her hand slid down to your chest, and she smiled when she felt your heart racing like it always used to. You could notice your body responding to her touch; that's the moment you knew where this was going. "I need you. Come to my bedroom tonight, at eight o'clock, and don’t you dare be late. You know how much I despise uselessness," she murmured, her lips brushing against your ear.

You swallowed hard, trying to calm your trembling voice, but failed as you responded, "As you command, my lady."

Wanda leaned in and kissed you deeply. Her tongue explored your mouth as her hands roamed over your waist and your back.

"You are mine, and I expect complete obedience from you. You will do as I say, and you will do it with enthusiasm."

You nodded, feeling an incredible desire take hold of you.

"Good," she purred, making you feel a deep sense of loss as soon as she pulled away.

You wished this could be done at the very present moment since you were unsure about being able to wait until the hour she established. Nevertheless, you knew as well how much she despised impatience. So you did your best to wait, and when the time came, you showed up promptly at her bedroom.

It was approximately half-past ten.

You were lying next to Wanda, with your body tingling with the after-effects of intense pleasure as you struggled to catch your breath.

"You always serve me so well in this, my loyal follower," Wanda commented, when she decided she had enough. Afterwards, with only her underwear on, she went to her wardrobe to put on a dressing gown.

"Anything to please you," you replied, which sounded more like a gasp. "Do you need anything else, my mistress?" You reiterated in your most respectful tone.

"Actually, I don't think I'll be needing you at all anymore. I'll continue on my own," you felt a knot form in your stomach at her words.

"What do you mean?" You asked, doubting if you really heard her right or if you were just misinterpreting her words.

Maybe she was only referring to today, tomorrow you could be of use to her, right...?

"I no longer need you, nor will I ever need you," Wanda repeated, her eyes cold and distant. "You have served your purpose, and I have already decided that it is time for you to leave."

"But we were supposed to do this together! Bring your children back and..." You protested, your heart racing with panic. "I thought we had a pact, my lady. A pact of secrecy and loyalty.

She adopted a twisted, mocking smile, as she crawled towards you, her breath hot against your ear. "I never said we were equals," she hissed. "You don't decide when to leave me, I decide. Now you no longer serve me."

Your mind reeled as you struggled to make sense of her words. As simple as that, you had been nothing more than a disposable tool in her quest for power.

"I beg you, my lady, please reconsider," you pleaded with all the sincerity you could reunite. "I have given you my loyalty, my time, my intimacy, my heart. I have served you to the best of my ability. I have nothing if not for us to do this together; you can't leave me."

Wanda's expression didn't change, and she looked at you with disdain. "I can and I will. Put on your clothes and go. The rest is not my concern," she replied firmly.

Even though you grabbed your clothes and got dressed, you weren't going to leave with your head down; at least, you would tell her a few truths to her face.

"You know? I thought you were a powerful sorceress, a force to be reckoned with. Now I see that you're nothing more than a petty, manipulative tyrant."

Wanda's eyes narrowed as she stood up, her own anger flaring. "Don't you dare speak to me like that," she snapped, "I am your mistress, and you will show me respect."

"I will show respect to anyone who deserves it," you retorted, your voice trembling with rage.

Wanda's face transformed into a mask of fury, and she raised her hand, a bolt of red energy crackling in the tip of her fingers.

"You dare to defy me?" She didn't even shout; her tone of voice was low, it was a warning. Her eyes were red, and your breath, you swore, was coming in short gasps.

"I dare say enough. I don't deserve this," you said with apparent calmness, but your flashes of sudden adrenaline were pouring out of you.

The place crackled with tension as Wanda and you vied for power with your gazes.

For a moment, your fight seemed like it was going to turn into something dangerous, deadly, though deep down, you would never hurt her, but would Wanda hurt you? You would find out in a moment, it seemed. You knew the things she was capable of when she was upset and feeling challenged.

But then something happened that surprised you, her red energy suddenly dissipated, leaving you confused.

She took a step forward, right towards you and smiled.

It wasn't the kind of smile you liked, although all of it was beautiful. Her pupils were slightly dilated, and her teeth glittered almost sadistically. You couldn't bring yourself to react.

Her footsteps echoed in the space as she circled around you, placing herself behind your back, her hand gripped you tightly around your waist, clinging you to her body. You gasped loudly as you felt yourself under her mercy again.

"My dear pathetic thing... do you really think you can defy me and get away with it alive?" It was a question you dared not answer, but her hand circled your hip until it reached your lower abdomen, very close to the edge of your underwear. "Answer me," she commanded.

Your skin bristled, and her hand kept moving down, threatening you.

"I already defied you," you whispered, knowing full well you would provoke her. You just wanted her to make you hers again.

You heard Wanda giggle, "You're lucky I have better things to do," she let go of you abruptly, walking away from you, subsequently taking a seat quietly in a nearby chair. "Fuck off then. You're not deciding to leave; I discarded you first. This is not an act of dignity," her sharp tone of voice cut you like never before. “Just know, I’ll make you regret this.”

You nodded your head, humiliated, but at the same time tired of it all, "Maybe I’ll regret it, but maybe I won’t," you implied. You couldn't show weakness, but your watery eyes gave you away. "Goodbye, Wanda."

"Honey, wake up," you heard her voice echoing through the atmosphere, but little by little, the image began to fade until it was all black. "Wake up, (Y/N)!"

You snapped your eyes open, and were met with the blurry sight of Wanda with an expression of utmost concern on her face. Your eyes were watery, your back was cold but covered in sweat, and your heart was racing.

It didn't take you long to hug her and cling to her as you sobbed uncontrollably. Despite her obvious confusion, she did not hesitate to reciprocate and comfort you.

"I had the most horrible dream ever," you said once you had calmed down enough.

"And it's different from the previous ones?" She questioned. "Because you had these dreams about Westview being part of a reality I created, which I dragged you into, but then it became a dream within a dream… it’s complicated but it’s been several ones, darling. I’m worried about you." She confessed.

You nodded, "This was the worst. I dreamt that the kids didn’t exist in our ‘multiverse’, they were simply a creation from your reality, but you got so obsessed with bringing them back,” you said, with a lump in your throat as you recalled. “You became a person I no longer knew, and I wanted to leave you, but you manipulated me into staying. You ordered me around, and when I had served your purpose, you decided you didn't want me anymore. I begged you to let me stay, and... you didn't care."

You didn't understand why these horrible dreams seemed to have a sequence, and why they were so long and so realistic that they kept haunting you.

"I would never do that!" She exclaimed, holding you tighter, shocked at what had been revealed to you through nocturnal reveries.

"Wh-what happened?" You heard Billy’s timid voice coming from the door frame, and as you turned your eyes, there stood your sons, Tommy and Billy. Their expressions as concerned as your wife's.

"Nothing, sweetheart. I just had a horrible dream," you replied, feeling the need to compose yourself quickly so they wouldn't see you this way.

Said need, however, faded as the twins ran in your direction and, along with Wanda, they hugged you so tightly that, little by little, the bitter memories were replaced by the love that reigned daily in this wonderful home this family had created.

Later that day, after a week of that incident, you arrived home with the groceries; the twins were already sound asleep upstairs.

"Mmmm, two bowls of ice cream in the dishwasher. Wanda Maximoff, you gave our kids ice cream for dinner?" You reprimanded her, not hiding your amusement despite trying to pretend being annoyed. She knew full well that she couldn't upset you.

"You can't resist when they both even make up a song to ask for it," she justified, raising her arms. "You know, we're so lucky to be here. Maybe these things are so simple, but I can't imagine all the circumstances that could have prevented you and I from being in this kitchen, talking, after you've gone grocery shopping... did you bring me something?"

You laughed, nodding slightly as you pulled out of the bag a package of M&M’s, the redhead’s favorite treats.

After she made tea for both of you, that night she made you aware of the Multiverse. It really existed and wasn't just a figment of your imagination, and your dreams were more like a journey into a universe where everything was actually happening.

With that in mind, it pained you to think that maybe you didn't do so well in all realities, but it also made you realize that you were the lucky one because you had a great life in Westview, with your wonderful wife and your precious kids.

"I think we should be careful, who knows if that fucking witch will manage to travel between universes and disturb our peace," you concluded, feeling the fear creep over you at the mere thought of that possibility.

"Fucking witch? You've called me a lot of names, but I don't like this one," Wanda replied, her eyes turning reddish. "Good, you drank your tea."

"Wanda... what...?"

"I told you I'd make you regret this, but I never specified in what universe."

#wanda maximoff #scarlet witch #wanda maximoff x reader #scarlet witch x reader #wanda maximoff x you #scarlet witch x you #wanda maximoff x y/n #marvel #mcu #marvel fanfic series #elizabeth olsen #elizabeth olsen fanfic

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hausbabylon · 2 years

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I imagine that Reader will have many sleepless nights for a year then one day a powerless, melancholy Sarah Sanderson appears on their front door.

Reader is just in shock and stands there for a few seconds before looking past their love to her powerless sisters and inviting them all in. Winnie is obviously skeptical at first, but Sarah warms her up to the idea and not even 5 minutes after being invited in, Sarah is sobbing into Reader’s shoulder, complaining about how useless she is without her magic.

Reader trying to tell her that that’s not true, but Sarah just calling herself the dumb, pathetic, useless sister. Winnie and Mary overhearing their words of affirmation and wondering why they ever hated you

- (Same anon from before)

Maybe she feels a certain resentment towards Winnie, for having allowed her ambition to take away what (according to her) was her only attribute.

And the reader tells her that she has her sisters, among other wonders about her so that she understands how valuable she is with or without powers. The reader helps her to find another vocation such as ancient theatre and literature, as she proved to be not only good at it but also very passionate about it. The other two sisters feel nothing but gratitude. 💖

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hausbabylon · 2 years

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What would Reader do during Hocus Pocus 2 when Sarah disappears? Would she go with Winnifred whilst Becca and her coven chant the reuniting spell? 😰

Yesss! Anything for Sarah ❤️ the post-credits scene implies (correct me if I'm wrong) that by lighting the candle again, the witches will return, perhaps without powers this time.

Reader would try lighting it again. If it doesn't work, would find a way to get to Sarah even if it means crossing over to another plane of existence. 🥹💕

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hausbabylon · 2 years

Text

once upon a dream

Sarah Sanderson x Reader

Word count: 6,840

A/N: I know there are many of us who had a crush on Sarah Sanderson and seeing the sequel brought those feelings back. I apologize if there are any mistakes in the old English parts, since English is not my main language, let alone old English!

Reading about the Sanderson sisters had unleashed a chaos inside you, awakening a curiosity that was beyond your comprehension. You needed answers, and you needed them immediately.

It is well known that every little corner of this world had a story, whether it was told through thousands of generations or told by a friendly neighbor who had lived in the village for many years, there was not an inch of the earth that was spared. Even the place where you were right now, what was it before it was what it is now? What was it a hundred or three hundred years ago?

These and countless other questions led you into what might be known as a dead-end tunnel. Many books of contemporary history left you sleepless, due to the uncontrollable desire to find out more about certain events, but it never happened to such an extent as when you went to the museum that used to be the home of the Sanderson sisters.

Something as simple as three sister witches who were hanged lived here should not provoke more intrigue than reading an odd book or asking an amateur, yet there was no text that made you feel satisfied in answering your questions. You felt you knew them from somewhere, as if all the events narrated about them were more memories than anything else.

The fact that they had been hanged hurt you irreparably. It was terrifyingly palpable that disappointment and also that sadness as if they had been parts of you that were taken away that day. It hurt too much, though it hurt more not knowing the reason. And as the days went by, you started to long for having a time machine and undoing your visit to the Sanderson sisters’ house. You were sad for nothing, especially for Sarah; she generated too much empathy, even though very little was known about her.

You knew you shouldn't have waited until the sorrow was unbearable to do it; you would have gone to an expert much sooner, but the time was here and now. You constantly questioned how a visit to the Sanderson sisters' house would cause you, months later, to find yourself doing a past life regression because it seemed to be the most accurate method for what was happening.

The images were blurry at first, and the cottages and people walking around were barely visible. Thanks to the questions you were constantly being asked by the expert, you were able to perform the regression successfully. You're not going to lie; panic was running through your veins, and you were too afraid of being even more damaged than before you set foot here. If your deductions were correct, you had something to do with one of the sisters, and the pain of losing her stayed with you for many, many lifetimes to come.

"Oh, I found thee!" A sweet voice made its presence very close to you, involuntarily earning shivers from you as well as a feeling of inexplicable happiness. You never thought a voice would provoke all that.

When you turned to see the owner of the voice, you were stunned. She was tall, her hair was a gorgeous platinum blonde, her makeup was dark and not at all discreet, and the thing that had left you in awe was that gorgeous smile that adorned her face. You knew immediately that it was Sarah; her features matched too closely with the books that described her appearance. Of course, you didn't expect her to be such a breathtakingly divine woman.

"Dearest mine!" You exclaimed, and she opened her arms, inviting you to be enveloped in a welcoming embrace. You gladly accepted, and it was amazing; you felt so safe. You felt that even if the whole world turned against you and set out to destroy you, if she was with you and you were with her, you were invincible.

"My sisters are absent," she suggested, nervously playing with her fingers. She looked so adorable! There was no way you could say no. "Mayhap thou canst…”

"Pssst! What did I tell thee? I am weary of thee keeping company with such inferior folk as... a Sanderson, enter immediately!" A woman exclaimed from the door of one of the cottages, perhaps it was your mother or someone who was taking care of you. When she uttered Sarah's last name, she possessed so much disgust, and it generated so much guilt in you.

The blonde ignored what the lady said and leaned close to your ear. "Secret locale, at sunset," she whispered. You had no idea what she was talking about, but you were nodding, for your former-life self knew exactly what she meant.

Once you entered your abode, you found this woman looking at you with deep disapproval. Apparently, you were forbidden to interact with the Sandersons. It was to be expected; frankly, everyone seemed to be repulsed by the fact that they were free. You always admired all three of them, and for Sarah, you felt something different, something beyond that.

After a sermon that never seemed to come to an end, where the Sanderson sisters were the target of criticism and derogatory remarks, you were told to do the chores, and of course, there were too many of them. It was an understatement to say that by sunset you were sweating, and there was no water to mitigate this fatigue. The irony? You did it gladly, and Sarah was in your thoughts all the time. You were certain, from the bottom of your heart, that a whole afternoon of scolding and punishment was worth it if, even for a fleeting moment, you could see the blonde girl.

By the time you finished, the sun was about to set, and darkness was consuming what little light there was in the sky. You peeked at the window, and there was that nightmare of a lady, sleeping in front of the fire with her mouth slightly open. You didn't hesitate to walk slowly away and then run towards what you assumed was the secret place you had been told about.

You ended up in a forest. You knew this forest! You had never entered it; you used to walk past it every time you went out and didn't give it more than a glance. But your past life self was very familiar with it, as you easily passed through it and knew exactly where to go.

There she was, sitting cross-legged on the ground, with her long hair falling around her shoulders, covering her face a little.

"I do beg thy pardon for this day, my mother is a witless fool," was the first thing you said to her.

She got up animatedly and kissed your cheek. "It is naught I am not accustomed to," the blonde held your shoulders and caressed this area slowly, "what engenders remorse within me is that because of me, she compels thee to scrub every nook and cranny of thy dwelling, she forces thee to prepare meals for thy parents and all seven of thy siblings, she obligates thee to embroider..." she confessed, with a look that was modernly known as puppy eyes.

"Yes, but being in thy company makes it all worthwhile," you reassured her, and she smiled. The beautiful moonlight allowed you to see her pale face, which had acquired a bright red in her cheeks. At that moment, you felt an indescribable feeling for her.

"I adore thee," she replied, taking your face in both her hands and leaned down to kiss your lips.

And you didn’t think you have ever in your life, or in your lives, felt anything even slightly resembling what you were feeling as she and you were kissing in the moonlight. It was a deep adoration, one that very few were fortunate enough to experience. You loved Sarah Sanderson, and she loved you, and it was a love so strong that, despite the adversities of the cruel world, you could sneak away from time to time to be together.

"I must depart; my mother slumbers by the hearth, and I am certain one of my younger siblings shall awaken her due to their raucous play," you said, with tremendous frustration. It hurt so much to live like this, under your parents' command and resigned to conforming to the rules and not to what made you happy. Sarah made you happy; in a perfect world, you could get married and live together, but that was dreaming too far ahead. The only thing you longed for was at least to be able to see her as often as you wanted.

"Oh, I wager she reclines with her head thrown back, drooling copiously... thinkest thou her head shall detach someday?" She joked, making you laugh out loud.

"I am uncertain, and let us not even commence discussing her snoring, ugh!" You protested, and subsequently mimicked how she supposedly snored. You obviously exaggerated to make Sarah laugh, "... and when thou dost awaken her, she doth get so scared, as if thou hast not woken her up but rather resuscitated her.

The blonde was already a laughing mess, and seeing her laugh so energetically made you laugh more than because of your witticisms. So loud was your laughter that you might be singled out for being so outrageous if you were in public. That is why she introduced you to this place, to allow you to leave behind all that you were expected to be.

"Very well, I shall release thee. Tomorrow after the morning meal?" She asked, with obvious hope in her eyes.

You nodded.

"Thou mayest count on it, my beloved."

You gave each other a short but passionate kiss and walked in the opposite direction. The walk consisted of constant sighs and giggles thanks to the little encounter your darling and you had. She was a beautiful escape from the real world you had to face, the only real thing you knew, that spark of spontaneity in the midst of the monotony.

Arriving home, you didn't find your mother in the same place, only to find both parents in your room as you made your way to your room. In this room, there were two beds in addition to yours, where two of your siblings were resting. You could tell they were sisters.

"Whence didst thou wander?" The man asked. He was frighteningly tall, and his commanding voice gave you chills. Maybe your mother was just taking not-so-drastic measures like assigning you chores and reprimanding you; on the other hand, your father was apparently the worst of them all.

"For a stroll, to clear my mind," you replied, so calmly that even you believed it.

"Curious, one of our neighbors didst witness thee entering the woods."

You decided not to talk anymore. That forest was considered forbidden; no one besides the Sandersons ventured into it, and whoever did, didn't come back. It was a serious thing that you did return, and the only explanation was the one they both already knew; you had gone to see Sarah.

"Considering the fact that thou showest no improvement and dost rebel, despite all the effort I make, we shall send thee away. A carriage shall arrive today and convey thee to a place where thou shalt be taught to straighten up," your mother said. "In addition, thou shalt contract marriage, for it is high time."

A cold chill ran down your back, and you involuntarily took a few steps backward until you stumbled into a bed. The thought of being separated from Sarah was what you feared most, and they made it happen. You didn't want to get married; you didn't want to spend your whole life taking care of a husband you did not love, let alone have children with him. You were in love, and all you wanted was to be with her. How cruel it was to take away your happiness!

"No, no, no, no, I… I... I... she... I..." You stammered, unable to formulate correctly. Your mind was struggling superhumanly to find the right words that could convince them to let you see her.

Five, four, three, two, one...

"Wake up!"

You opened your eyes, and your vision was blurred; your face was soaked. You had cried uncontrollably, and that alarmed the psychiatrist.

"Now I understand everything. Sarah Sanderson was my girlfriend, or I don't know what to call it, but we were in love, and I couldn't prevent my parents from separating me from her," you concluded, once you had calmed down enough.

It hurt you deeply to think what happened next. Maybe Sarah thought you had abandoned her, or she found out you had been sent away. You didn't know if you ever met again, but one thing you knew for sure, you found out that both she and her sisters were killed, and it scarred you forever.

***

Time slipped through your fingers like a handful of sand, disemboguing and being dragged by the strong air along the way, but ending up in the same place: an endless desert full of that same sand.

At first, it wasn't like that. At first, that handful of sand wouldn't escape from your hands, and no matter how hard you tried to let go, somehow the sand engulfed you and got between your clothes and your shoes, making it invasive, unbearable, painful.

By this, it can be implied that you were indeed able to relive in the last regressions how you were taken away and married to someone you didn't love, which was something most people went through at the time, nothing new. This affected you a lot because you were in love, but not with the person who woke up next to you every morning, and you could feel very strongly that there wasn't a day that went by that you didn't wish it was her instead. Also, you hated the imposed system, and even without knowing how, you met the Sanderson sisters and admired them for completely opposing it. You didn't have any idea how you fell in love with Sarah or how she fell in love with you. You supposed in another regression you would have the opportunity to find out; all you knew was that you didn't achieve anything, and in each regression more and more years went by, but this time you went back to where you never imagined you would see again.

You clung to the idea that you went back because you were finally given the chance to be free. Probably your husband died and left you his money, which you didn't know if it was too much or too little, or maybe you decided to run away, which you doubted, otherwise you wouldn't have waited so long.

You were alone in a carriage heading in the direction of what you hoped was the Sandersons' house. Your hands were sweaty, and your breathing was quick, as if you had run all the way from what was supposed to be your home to Salem.

However, you were very surprised to have arrived at the cottage where you were living cramped with your parents and seven siblings. You didn't know anything about who you were and how the mind of your former-life self worked, but at this point, you wouldn't even consider passing by that place to see the two people who caused this misfortune.

In a bed, there was resting an older man, but he was not your father; he was still too young for that. His skin was as pale as snow, beads of sweat adorned his face, and dark circles circled his eyes. So someone was sick, someone too dear to you, because just a simple look was enough for you to turn your back to him and then start crying your heart out.

"I am overjoyed to witness thy presence, likewise," in his weak voice, he said wryly.

He reminded you so much of your best friend, always making jokes even in moments where laughing was the last thing you needed to do. And you were probably seeing your friend in his past life! Fate was kind enough to bring you together as best friends in this life, however, not so kind as to allow that to happen with the love of your life.

"Oh, my reckless brother, what impertinence to find amusement in such a circumstance," you reprimanded him, and he took a deep breath.

"May my final days be filled with laughter and tranquility," his optimism was admirable.

"May thy last days be free from remorse, and may thy family remember thee as the exceptional father and husband that thou art," you agreed.

"Mother, couldst thou grant us a moment alone? Shouldst thou attempt to eavesdrop behind the door, we shall be made aware," he warned, to your mother who was silently observing the interaction. She nodded, somewhat indignantly but proceeded to withdraw. Matthew patted a space on his bed, inviting you to sit down to which you agreed, "it is ironic that thou should make mention of regret when, from thy letters, I perceive that thou art yet to experience much of what life has to offer."

You remained silent for at least a minute, before replying, "Besides thee, Sarah was the only one with whom I felt the freedom to be myself, and she gave me the experience of genuine love. Thou didst want all that for me, and if only our parents had desired the same, I..." you didn't finish speaking; you just surrendered to his chest as you sobbed. He clung to you and stroked your hair, giving you the space to let out everything that had been stuck in your throat for years.

Matthew knew everything then, and he understood your frustration at what you had to live with just to fit into a society that wouldn't bat an eye at you for a second if not to criticize. What a treasure of a man to be from that era; this beautiful connection definitely had to transcend for more lifetimes.

"Pray thee, go to the Sanderson's abode anon, and promise me that I may depart with the peace of mind that thou hast ventured all to find happiness with Sarah," he asked, leaving you speechless.

It was so easy to lie and tell him that you would do it just so he wouldn't worry and would "go in peace," but you were not that kind of person. You knew yourself well enough to know that you were committed and selfless; both aspects would be affected if you didn't do what he asked you to do. But you were talking about something that would eventually doom you! Your husband, seeing that you wouldn't come, would look everywhere for you until he found you and forced you to come back. Or your parents would, as they also wrongly believed they had that right over you when they weren't in a position to command you that much either.

"I doth promise that I shall go to the abode of the Sandersons and profess my love for Sarah. Even if I must fight with all my might, I shall not be parted from my beloved," you finally promised him.

You stood up and wiped the remaining tears from your face, then kissed his forehead and clung to him for what might be the last time. Uncertainty was your worst enemy, and it was best to make the most of every little moment.

"I adore thee, little scoundrel," he gave you a smile, to which you responded weakly.

"Likewise, thou fool."

Leaving the room, you made your way towards the carriage, not caring at all where your mother had gone; you didn't intend to exchange any more words with her anyway. You were going to fulfill your promise immediately, and from this moment on, you were about to live in earnest, to leave behind everything you knew and awaken to a new horizon.

Once you were in that house, you took a deep breath of air and with slow but sure steps, you headed for the front door.

Knock, knock, knock...

No answer.

Again.

Knock, knock, knock...

Still nothing.

"They be not present," you heard a voice very close, making you startle and scream. Damn it! You were so scared to be seen here, especially by your parents, and for someone to have addressed you was so inopportune.

You looked around until, on top of one of the wooden boxes, you found a black cat watching you with relief. There was no human trace anywhere, but you swore someone had spoken to you.

"Oh, little one," you laughed lightly, "spakest thou unto me? I would be deemed insane if..."

"Nay, thou wouldst be deemed insane if thou stayed here any longer," interrupted you the cat.

You knew about Thackery Binx; anyone who had read about Salem's most prominent witches knew about him. However, it was obvious that your former-life self was unfamiliar with a talking cat because the screams you let out as soon as you knew the cat was talking to you were probably heard all over the country.

"Did the Sandersons adopteth a feline and gave it the power of speech? How perverse! I wager it was Sarah. She would oft say that we should adopt one if we..." You paused for a moment, and shook your head to stop your ramblings. You were there with a purpose. "Knowest thou where they art?"

He jumped up to get down from his seat and stood in front of you.

"Verily, they were hanged after they had taken my little sister. When I attempted to thwart them, they turned me into this," he replied, lowering his gaze, and somehow, his facial expressions were very well marked.

"Art thou referring to Sarah, Winnifred, and Mary? Themselves?" Your voice trembled, and you began to breathe shakily with your mouth open. "Nay... they merely punish those who meddle with them, they cannot perform such a heinous act," you denied, as if twenty years hadn't been long enough for the version you had of them, especially Sarah, to fade as greed whispered in their ears, tempting them to sacrifice everything to be powerful and young.

But Thackery Binx said nothing, and you seemed to give the matter a lot of thought because you didn't flinch at all either, perhaps refusing to accept that the Sarah you fell in love with had been replaced by a ruthless, selfish witch, "Sarah did this to thee as well?"

"All three of them were culpable in this madness," he confirmed.

"Winnifred is a bossy one who doth nothing but order her sisters around and insult them, I think her capable of worse; Mary is much more docile, I still think her capable of this, but Sarah... Sarah, the love of my life," you paused for a moment, to proceed to sit on the bleachers that stood at the entrance. "She, whom I have comforted for so many nights as her elder sister's words wounded her pure and beautiful heart. She, who loved to bake and looked adorable with flour on her face. She, who blushed and bit her lip at the slightest kind words. She, who read stories to me every night and used to narrate in an overly dramatic way. I remember she used to criticize me for not reading to her as well as she would like." You snorted, in the form of a laugh full of sorrow, and regret for having let go of all that being with Sarah Sanderson entailed, which was nothing but bliss in all its forms.

You had lost her to the hanging that caused her death, but you had already lost her without knowing it, and you missed a version of her that had surely ceased to exist way before this.

"I humbly beg thy forgiveness," Thackery Binx placed her furry paw on your lap. If you weren't so sad witnessing the suffering you went through, you might have laughed at it.

And yet, it wasn't just Sarah's death that caused this pain to travel inside your soul for three centuries, it was learning that the real loss wasn't really due to death, it was due to the cruel life, it was the inevitable course of years, it was the fear.

"May thy soul find peace, and mine shall find its own."

"NO, PRITHEE WAIT..."

Everything went black.

And you woke up by your own in the psychiatrist's office, with beads of sweat running down your forehead and your back was so drenched in sweat too that your blouse was sticking to your skin. You did not get to see with what exactly you took your own life, but it was a fact that you did.

What happened next, you wondered, did your brother Matthew find out about it, or he never did? Did your parents regret for a moment the miserable life they forced you to live? Although, if you had been a quarter as brave as Sarah was, you would have lived a full life by her side, but you gave up during the first real challenge that came your way.

You knew enough about what had happened, your most urgent questions were answered, and most importantly, you had discovered who your soulmate was, whose transcendence was not equal to your own.

This was a sacred moment, where you were one of the few fortunate people presented with the opportunity to know their past life mistakes, to make amends, to break the chain of suffering your soul had been subjected to for dozens of lifetimes. You knew exactly what to do. You had no intention of waiting any longer.

So palpable was the yearning to do what your self of three centuries ago would have given anything to achieve, which was to have the courage to love Sarah Sanderson the way she loved you; passionately and without fear. If she was as meant for you as, from the depths of your being, you knew she was, what you were about to do was going to work.

And there you were, after three months of hard work, you had made your very own black flame candle. Not only was it about dedication to the smallest detail, it was also about being patient enough for the required moment to arrive; a full moon on a Halloween night. You thought those months would feel like an eternity, and that making a candle would be no big deal. Oh, but it was, you even thought you wouldn't be able to finish by Halloween night and would have to wait another long year. However, as you said before, if you were destined to be reunited with Sarah, the universe would work in your favor.

"All right, it's time," you found yourself sitting in the middle of the woods, the exact same spot where your beloved and you used to sneak off to so long ago. You knew that, finding yourself here, you were going to feel a huge wave of nostalgia, but you were calm because you knew the reason. "I owe all this to you, Book. I didn't think you would believe me when I came to implore your help, but you already knew my soul even though it was in one of the many bodies it has passed through. And I hope Sarah feels it too... and what am I doing talking to a book? I'm losing my mind," Book glared at you with his one eye, which made you laugh. "I'm sorry, you have to admit it's weird. Still, none of this would be possible if it weren't for you."

You sighed deeply.

You were about to perform a reunion that would mark a before and after in the course of your eternal soul. It was time. The full moon was shining, as if even she knew how big this was, and after so much effort, everything happened as it should.

You took a match, and lit the candle. Its flame immediately took on a black color, as it was set to. The next thing that happened was terrifying, for everything beneath you began to tremble with tremendous force, so much so that you thought a crack would open up in the ground big enough to send you straight into the subsoil. This stopped after a few moments.

Silence ensued, as did fear, had you done something wrong? Did you summon something else? Or in the more sceptical case, there just happened to be an earthquake at the very instant you lit the candle.

"Ha! We are returned, sisters!" A outrageous, shocked voice exclaimed, close to you but perhaps not close enough to see you. "This world is full of knaves and inquisitives; I knew it would not prove too difficult for someone to be a little of both and bring us back."

"Winnie..." It was Sarah's voice! And your heart started pounding, your breath caught immediately, and a huge smile broke out on your face.

"What?" She replied rudely.

"Dost thou sense anyone here? Someone we know, perchance," she inquired. That's when you experienced the greatest happiness that you knew only she was capable of generating within you.

The silhouettes of the three women became visible, until the moonlight allowed you to observe them clearly. And how incredible it was, to see your great love, not anymore in the depths of your subconscious, but in front of you.

"Yes, here is someone you know, who is in love enough to bring you back," you couldn't take your eyes off her. Throughout your life, you have possessed standards regarding a partner, and unknowingly, she fulfilled and surpassed absolutely all of them because these were created from someone who existed out there, who was everything you ever wished for.

"Thou... thou art not who I... do I know thee?" She had a disappointed expression on her face, maybe she was waiting to meet you, from three hundred years ago, who was probably decomposing underground somewhere.

"It's me... it's a long story, and you don't know what it took me to remember a lot of things, and maybe I need your help to remember others," you were stumbling over your own words, and it was so frustrating. You swear that all this time you were also planning what to say to her, but seeing her, it's as if your mind had become a blank mess willing only to process the beauty of the blonde standing before you.

"Thou art so witless thou mak'st me sick!" Exclaimed Winnifred, and Sarah abashedly lowered her gaze. "It is the bloody fool who abandoned thee. Same timid spirit, different body," the redhead blurted out, glaring at you with an expression that, you must confess, you deserved, though you were not entirely to blame for it.

"She's not witless," was the first thing you said. Despite everything she stated, the fact that she called Sarah that was the priority to respond to. You proceeded to walk over her, as you said, "She's loyal, smart, wonderful, and above all, much stronger and more passionate person than I will ever be," you cupped her face with both of your hands. She gasped and shivered, her green eyes wide open. "Can you feel me? It's me, my love."

She removed your hands from her face, taking you by surprise, and her features hardened, turning into the same expression of contempt her sister possessed.

"I never wish to see thee again, ever!"

***

Like those autumn leaves that fly and fall, your love was collapsing without resistance. Sarah's heart always took a thousand steps forward for every step you took, and you could not catch it. You clung to faded memories, trying unsuccessfully to restore all those lost seasons that the cruelty of time had taken from you, but you were not ready to give her up.

There was a spell, one that didn't necessarily require an act as cruel as the one they committed years ago and the one they tried to commit on Halloween. Book had shown it to you before you brought them back when you told it you didn't intend to perform the black flame candle ritual if it meant affecting innocent people. It loved the sisters too much, you knew, so it didn't take long to find an alternative. Of course, it was more complex and more thorough, nevertheless efficient.

The witches were back, and all this time, you suffered nothing but rejection and scorn whenever you tried to get close, especially from Sarah. All you needed her to do was to listen to the cries of your heart calling out to her, for a future without her was cold and terrifying.

So you found yourself at the Sanderson house again, begging for a chance. You didn't care what Winnifred and Mary thought or said to you; in the end, it was an attempt to protect their little sister. You just needed to give one last effort, one last sign that you were meant to stay together.

"I told thee I do not wish to talk, stubborn wench," the blonde answered the door this time. Those words hurt you, but meeting her was a great relief.

"Your sisters aren't home?" You asked, fiddling nervously with an envelope you were holding. In it was a long letter in which you expressed your deepest regret for the great mistake you had made in your previous life.

And the present life brought you various challenges that forced you to learn what you did not learn in your previous ones, which is not to succumb to social pressure, but instead to succumb to your own concept of happiness and stick to it. The only thing left was to be accountable to the person you let down the most and to prove to her that you could try again if she wanted you to.

"Nay," she was curt and direct. She proceeded to close the door, but before she did, you stopped it with your foot. You paid so little attention to the pain you felt once the screeching wood impacted against your shoe that nothing useful was done to reduce it.

"Do you remember what used to happen when your sisters weren't home? I don't, unfortunately," you spoke.

Her features softened slightly, and she noticed that it was perceptible to you, and it didn't take long for that resentful countenance to return. "We had the entire abode to ourselves. We enjoyed enacting the books we read as though they were theatrical productions, and we claimed dominion over the entire parlor for our performances. That is the most notable feature.”

"Well, do you want to try?" You proposed. She wasn't ready to listen to you, and the most opportune thing seemed to be to relive unforgettable experiences you went through before remembering the negatives of your journey.

And so it was that you ended up with strange artifacts in your heads, which would distinguish you among the characters you would play according to the scenes in act three of Macbeth, the play your beloved had chosen for you to dramatize.

"... full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Thou know'st that Banquo and his Fleance lives," Sarah exclaimed, and you must say her intonation was so perfect. So palpable was her passion for this art in every word that came out of her mouth. It was to be admired.

And you, for some reason, were acceptable without even having a notion of it, though not as good as her. Not surprisingly, you did it too many times back in the years, that this was more about remembering than learning from scratch.

"But in them nature's copy's not eterne," you read your own copy of the book the woman handed you. It was tucked away in a small old chest hidden under the floor of her room. There were also several sheets of paper whose color made the handwriting barely legible.

"There's comfort yet, they are assailable. Then be thou jocund. Ere the bat hath flown," she needed to read absolutely nothing. She knew every word by heart and there was not a single moment when she hesitated. It was so incredible. "His cloistered flight, ere to black Hecate's summons..."

"Sister!" A voice came from outside, in the doorway, causing the blonde to stop in mid-sentence, removing what was supposed to be Macbeth's crown, and almost reflexively, you removed the ribbon from your hair, which identified you as Lady Macbeth. Both were also in the previously mentioned chest.

"Good day, dear sisters. I had thought thou wouldst tarry longer," Sarah commented, her voice a little shaky, not taking her eyes off the book in your hands. You knew at once that you had to hide it, for a reason beyond your knowledge. You put it in the small rucksack where you also placed the envelope you were about to hand her in due course.

Soon, the two sisters, Winnifred and Mary came into the house, and it was not to their liking that you were the first person they saw in their living room.

"Ugh, we cannot take a leisurely stroll for this idiot hath arrived, and our even more idiotic sister hath allowed it," Winnifred blurted out. As far as you knew, Sarah always lowered her gaze when she received hurtful insults from the redhead, this was not the case.

"Well, this idiot is the only one with whom I can be myself," she retorted. At that, a smile appeared on your face almost automatically, "This idiot is the sole person with whom I can express myself in my truest form. With whom I can share my passions without the condemnation of 'mortal nonsense.' I am more than a subordinate sibling who doth follow thy edicts. I have aspirations and dreams that extend beyond the bounds of thy dominion, and I am endowed with the full range of human emotions. A vast expanse of life, spanning the eternity, lies afore me, and at this present moment, I am awash with an abundance of love, which I no longer intend to cloak in obscurity."

Neither of her two sisters batted an eyelid in reply. As much as they tried to hide their indifference, the undeniable shock was more than explicit in their looks. And you were so proud of the way she stood up for herself.

"Then, my dearest and beloved sister, anyone who doth make thee feel as special as we have failed to do so deserveth our eternal gratitude. We humbly ask for thy forgiveness," Mary finally spoke up, "Winnie?"

Winnifred sighed and it didn't take long for her whole face to soften. "Apologies, dear sister. Thou art more than a mere little sister who must follow orders; thou art a being full of passions, aspirations, and feelings. Verily, an eternity of life awaiteth thee, and we shall do our utmost to support and cherish thee as thou pursuest thy dreams.”

With tears in her eyes, Sarah mumbled a "thank thee" along with a warm hug. Subsequently, she took your hand to lead you out of the house, her breath hitching in agitated steps.

"Where are we going?" you questioned.

"To our secret locale," she replied. How happy you were to hear that.

As soon as you arrived, the blonde stopped, and leaned down to take your face in her hands and press her lips to yours.

She didn't meet any resistance, because she was your salvation and everything you needed. That kiss was enough to make you feel back home after a challenging road full of obstacles that were worth it at the end of the day.

When she separated from you, her glowing green eyes burned your soul. The tenderness her lips possessed was unmatched. There you confirmed the fact that, even if the sky is covered with dark clouds again, you were inside an eternal dream.

"Sarah, you... I'm so sorry you left without explaining yourself to me. You weren't as brave as I was to put your happiness above other people's wishes," you began, pulling out the aforementioned envelope, but she stopped you.

"Keep it," she replied simply. "The grudge that doesn't exist was always negligible in comparison to the third part of what you bring into my life. I shall not relinquish that, for one mistake shall not shatter our bond."

"Even for another three hundred years in the future, you want to be by my side, can you be my only one?"

Her firm hands held your waist, and as an affirmative answer, you again felt the bliss of a kiss coming from her, "in truth, my dearest, on the morrow you may rest assured that our mutual company shall be cherished beyond the very conclusion of this earthly existence," she stroked your hair with a glance of adoration.

"It will be more than a pleasure, my love," you pulled out the book you were previously dramatizing. "In the meantime, shall we continue with one of our many wonderful evenings together?"

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